Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 190: Standards

After everyone finished making a fuss, in the end, no one backed out.

The true strength of Unit 9 shouldn’t be revealed publicly, so the “secret test” was indeed the best method. To Yin Ren’s surprise, Professor Li remained unmoved. As one of the highest leaders in the Shian Haigu branch, he should have prioritized his own safety.

However, he simply stood firmly in his place, with half of his face illuminated and darkened by the screen on Jiao Lian’s body.

“Can we start? I have a meeting afterward,” Li Nian said.

Yin Ren remained silent for a moment, then raised his hand and drew several paths of light in the air—

Fear, satisfaction.

Hate, sorrow, joy, love.

…

He crookedly wrote down various emotions and marked a red cross on a few of them.

“Whether it’s the Divine Descent twenty-eight years ago or the present, only a few individuals have disappeared after exposure to corruption. If the premise of ‘mental resilience’ is correct, we need to determine which ’emotion’ triggers the disappearances.”

Yin Ren brought over a chair and sat in front of Jiao Lian.

Zhong Chengshuo naturally stepped forward, placing his hands on the back of a wooden chair.

Yin Ren slowed down his voice. “Last night, I conducted some tests. We only need to test a few emotions… We don’t need to test ‘satisfaction’. Next, we will experiment with fear. Minister Jiao will monitor the other side, while I will observe the situation here.”

“That sounds feasible.”

Fu Xingchuan glanced at Zhong Chengshuo a few times as he spoke, and the latter made an effort to look innocent, resembling a large hanging decoration behind Yin Ren’s chair. Fu Xingchuan looked on fruitlessly, then withdrew his gaze after a while.

“When it comes to manipulating emotions, I have a quick method. Time is limited, so let’s go with this.”

Fu Xingchuan took out a box of sticky note-like objects from his pocket and swiftly tore off several pieces. “These are illusion talismans, ready-made good stuff. I will evoke your corresponding memories.”

Once the memories were in place, it wasn’t difficult to trigger emotions. When the situation called for it, Shian personnel used similar methods to soothe those involved. Fu Xingchuan held the expensive talismans between his fingers and skillfully distributed them among the group.

When it came to Li Nian, Fu Xingchuan hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn’t give him a talisman.

“You won’t be affected much by it so just imagine it yourself,” Fu Xingchuan said softly.

Yin Ren looked around. After Fu Xingchuan completed his round, everyone in the dim room, including Zhong Chengshuo and Li Nian, as well as Yin Ren himself, had a square piece of talisman-like sticky note.

Lord Ghost King didn’t hold back and stuck the talisman on his face like a strip of adhesive. Fu Xingchuan simply stuck it on the back of his hand, performing the action with equal ease.

Lu Xiaohe and Ge Tingting held it solemnly in their hands, while Huang Jin wore a troubled expression, reluctantly pinching it with his fingertips.

First was fear.

Fu Xingchuan began by testing Yin Ren. When the other party’s fingers approached, Yin Ren decisively withdrew his defenses and allowed the other to perform the spell.

The illusion wasn’t powerful, but it was intricate. In an instant, the scene in front of Yin Ren receded, and familiar images entered his eyes.

The setting sun, steps, the exit of the Fu residence’s basement.

Sudden gunshots, splattering blood, Zhong Chengshuo’s bewildered gaze.

…And right after, the head suddenly exploded in front of Yin Ren.

Although he knew that the person was right beside him, the blood in the illusion felt sticky, warm, and the strong scent of blood assaulted his nose. The touch, the temperature—everything felt unbelievably real.

The blood of Zhong Chengshuo.

Even though he knew it was all an illusion, Yin Ren’s heart raced madly, and his nerves stretched to the point of pain. The panic and helplessness of that moment felt like a torn wound, oozing putrid pus.

Yin Ren felt a bit dazed. The subsequent search, battle, and reunion, including the present moment, were all just grand illusions. Was it because he couldn’t accept Zhong Chengshuo’s death that his mind conjured up these subsequent bizarre fantasies?

As this thought arose, boundless fear descended upon him.

In the next moment, Yin Ren’s vision darkened. The old steps under the evening sun vanished, and he found himself back in the secret room of the Shian building. If he hadn’t forcibly steadied himself, Yin Ren would have almost fallen to the ground.

“Haa… Haa…” Regardless of dignity, he struggled to regulate his breathing, feeling a tumultuous churning in his stomach.

He thought that once Zhong Chengshuo returned, the impact of this scene would dissipate. However, when it reappeared before him, Yin Ren realized that he could hardly think straight. His head buzzed, and the blood in his entire body turned icy cold, as if submerged in ice water.

Yin Ren subconsciously wanted to grasp the hand Zhong Chengshuo had placed on the chair back, but he ultimately held back. He quietly extended a small, wing-like appendage the size of a finger joint and slid it down the chair leg, disappearing into the shadow and crawling up Zhong Chengshuo’s pants until it reached the person’s chest.

Sensing the rise and fall of Zhong Chengshuo’s chest, feeling the warmth of his body, Yin Ren finally calmed down.

“The Evil Force in the wooden talisman doesn’t have any special reaction,” he said, clearing his throat.

“There’s, no special reaction, either,” Jiao Lian dutifully reported.

“Then, let’s move on to the next one.” Yin Ren handed out the wooden rabbit talisman he held.

He had intended to hand it to Fu Xingchuan, but Professor Li intercepted him midway. The professor tightly clenched the rabbit wooden talisman in his palm, closed his eyes, and pursed his lips tightly.

That already serious face appeared even more devoid of emotion.

As a top science post, Li Nian couldn’t rely on talismans. No one knew what kind of terrifying memories this impassive individual had unearthed.

In less than five seconds, Li Nian’s face began to pale, and a thin layer of sweat formed on his forehead. His hand trembled as he held the wooden rabbit talisman left no doubt that he was enduring profound fear.

“No special reaction,” Yin Ren said.

“Same,” Jiao Lian concisely added.

Fu Xingchuan, Ge Tingting… and finally, it was Huang Jin’s turn. They didn’t know what Huang Jin saw, but he seemed to want to pack himself into a box. Unfortunately, as the wooden rabbit talisman made its way around the group, it remained unresponsive, devoid of any special fluctuations, like an ordinary object.

Disgust, no special reaction.

Sorrow, still no special reaction on either side. Yin Ren looked around cautiously, fearing that Ms. Qi might suddenly appear for a meal in some corner.

“The next one is…” Yin Ren’s memory was a bit hazy. He took out his phone, attempting to look up Shian’s emotional classifications.

“There’s no need to continue.”

Tortured by three negative emotions three times, even someone as strong as Fu Xingchuan’s complexion turned slightly bluish.

“Didn’t you say that the more primitive the emotion, the stronger the Primordial Elemental? If you’re shamelessly snatching people, surely you won’t snatch someone away to feed minor characters on the Other Side.”

“That’s true, but I did test satisfaction before.” Yin Ren frowned. “Satisfaction, joy, and love…”

“How did you test it?”

Fu Xingchuan hesitated several times before speaking, but before he could say anything, Li Nian preempted him.

For some reason, even without the aid of talismans, Professor Li’s reaction was greater than anyone else’s. After three rounds, his hair was completely drenched in sweat, and he seemed on the verge of fainting at any moment.

But his voice remained steady.

“Could it be an experiment using a living person?” His sharp gaze was fixed directly on Yin Ren.

“Not to that extent. I have my methods.”

Thinking about the massive fortunes destroyed by Miss Qi Xin, even if they weren’t his own belongings, Yin Ren couldn’t help but feel a surge of overwhelming sadness.

“So, can you confirm that the experimental materials are not flawed?” Faced with this senior who had traveled through time, Li Nian remained composed, showing no mercy. “I suggest verifying it again. Satisfaction is a positive emotion that everyone should find easier to accept.”

“Well, technically, it’s possible…”

But theoretically, Zhong Chengshuo’s ability to simulate emotions with data should yield better results than the effects of illusions. After all, these people were at least considered his friends, and illusions ultimately affected people, tormenting their hearts and minds.

They didn’t have much time now, and it was not suitable to waste their energy on detours.

Just as Yin Ren was about to explain the situation, a voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

[You can save them. But a small suggestion, don’t use the pile of brains from just now… They have defects that will conveniently lead you astray from the correct answer.]

Wait a minute.

“Lead you astray from the correct answer…” Yin Ren tightly clenched the talisman paper in his hand, murmuring under his breath.

There were a relatively large number of brains there. What unified flaw could they possibly have? Even serial killers were still humans. Whether it was fear or satisfaction, they would always have corresponding perceptions, unless… unless…

Amidst the haze, Yin Ren seemed to have grasped something.

Satisfaction.

Joy and love.

“They mostly lack the capacity for ‘love’.” Zhong Chengshuo lowered his body, his gentle breath brushing against the skin by Yin Ren’s ear. “Although you haven’t researched this, you must have seen plenty of related films and TV shows.”

Indeed. Mr. Qiu corresponded to “disgust” and Ms. Qi Xin corresponded to “sorrow”. Mr. Qiu was already dead, and Ms. Qi Xin was someone who actively sought her own sustenance. The only advanced elements remaining were “joy” and “love”. Combined with what Zhong Chengshuo just said…

“We can retest if you want. Let’s try ‘love’ first.” Yin Ren made a decisive decision.

After speaking, he once again placed the sticky note on his face.

The illusion started for the fourth time.

Yin Ren saw Zhong Chengshuo, wearing a rabbit mask, shooting a string of bubbles in the abandoned amusement park. He also saw his lover, deeply asleep and breathing softly, leaning on the table.

Light and shadows flowed, and the illusion turned into caresses and warmth. The touch on his skin felt incredibly real, almost scorching his brain.

The wooden rabbit talisman in his palm moved.

“There’s a reaction,” Jiao Lian said. “The space on the other side is vibrating.”

Yin Ren ended the illusion with a slightly dazed expression and turned to look at Zhong Chengshuo. There was a reaction, but he himself didn’t disappear like Lu Xiaohe’s mother.

For some reason, this discovery left him somewhat disheartened. Yin Ren’s mind was filled with mixed emotions, and he couldn’t quite pinpoint the source of his disappointment.

“I’ll go next!” Fu Xingchuan, oblivious to the subtle thoughts of his elder, sounded a bit joyful in his voice.

Unfortunately, Fu Xingchuan, who had been single for over forty years, couldn’t perform any miracles. Compared to Yin Ren’s turn, both the wooden talisman and the response from the Other Side were weaker.

Fu Xingchuan: “…”

“You work too much overtime,” Minister Jiao Lian pointed out seriously. “Life is barren. What did you see just now?”

Fu Xingchuan struggled, considering that it wasn’t easy to converse with Minister Jiao. Nonetheless, he bravely gave his answer. “…When I was a child, I went to the beach with my whole family to sunbathe. My mom bought me three scoops of ice cream.”

Jiao Lian: “Hehe!”

The screens all over her body gleefully flickered. Yin Ren’s emotions eased slightly. Despite Minister Jiao’s unfavorable circumstances, her personality was quite… different from what he had imagined.

With this little interlude, the previously tense atmosphere finally loosened slightly.

Ignoring the sympathetic gazes from everyone, Fu Xingchuan handed the wooden talisman to Li Nian. However, Li Nian, who rarely showed any emotion, didn’t take it. “I’ll go last.”

He didn’t explain why.

Since the higher-ups indicated postponement, Ge Tingting was the next to grab the wooden talisman. Unfortunately, the level of abnormality she caused was almost identical to Fu Xingchuan’s, leaving it unclear who was more deserving of sympathy.

Next was Lu Xiaohe.

The moment the illusion started, tears welled up in Lu Xiaohe’s eyes and streamed down her cheeks. She held back from making any sound, but the tears continued to flow. The wooden talisman emitted a chilling aura, and Lu Xiaohe’s feet turned into phantoms. She appeared as if she were a living ghost.

“Stop!” Yin Ren formed a gesture, and the wooden talisman flew out in response. Lu Xiaohe’s feet instantly solidified, and she collapsed to the ground.

Her sports shoes vanished without a trace, leaving behind a pair of clean, bare feet.

“The reaction from the Other Side is stronger.” Jiao Lian’s speech speed quickened. “I need more data.”

“Same here,” Yin Ren agreed. He took a long breath and felt the strange sense of disappointment weighing heavily on his heart.

“Bring it here.” Huang Jin, wearing a pained expression, walked up to Yin Ren and obediently took the wooden talisman. “Don’t hold too much hope. I… Ahhhh!”

Before the illusion even started, as if sinking into invisible seawater, Huang Jin’s lower body instantly disappeared.

Terrified, he flailed his arms and grabbed hold of Yin Ren’s hair. His rough pulling nearly yanked Yin Ren to tears.

There was no brilliance of spells, no strange sounds—only the Evil Force on the wooden talisman was rapidly surging. Seeing this person’s body quickly vanishing up to his chest, Yin Ren made a decisive move. In front of everyone, he extended a strand of hair and dug out the wooden talisman from Huang Jin’s hand. In the next moment, it was completely sealed within the dark mass of his black hair.

Fu Xingchuan swiftly rushed forward, activating dozens of spells in an instant. Lu Xiaohe and Ge Tingting hastily reached out, grabbing hold of Huang Jin’s clothes, pulling him out together as if pulling out a radish.

“Fuck, fuck, take it easy! It hurts, ahhhhh!!!”

Huang Jin had an expressionless face as he frantically clawed at the things around him, resembling a person about to be swept away by a torrential flood. After more than ten seconds, everyone finally managed to pull Huang Jin, who had nearly disappeared, back. The suction force from the other side was extremely stubborn, and the whole process was more difficult than rescuing someone from a swamp.

Even Zhong Chengshuo had a stern face and grabbed a bed sheet to cover the lower half of Huang Jin’s body—while Lu Xiaohe only lost her shoes, Huang Jin’s clothes, from his chest down, completely vanished without a trace.

After being pulled out, Huang Jin trembled and shrank into the corner, wrapping himself tightly in the bedsheets.

“This is unscientific!” Huang Jin leaned against the corner of the bed; his voice nearly cracking. “How is it possible that my situation is worse than Lu Xiaohe’s?!”

“Maybe you really like Ding Lizi Jie,” Ge Tingting objectively speculated. “And besides, this is not within the realm of science.”

Huang Jin’s face turned pale and then green. He looked around at his superiors and colleagues, ultimately pulling the bed sheet up to cover his head as well. He then turned his entire body towards the corner of the room, indicating that he didn’t intend to speak again.

“The reaction from the Other Side is very strong,” Jiao Lian commented.

“We have enough data, but it can still be supplemented,” Yin Ren added.

Upon hearing this, everyone’s gaze turned to Li Nian. It was said that it could be supplemented, and he was the only one left to be tested.

“I won’t need it,” Professor Li said indifferently, without touching the ice-cold wooden talisman.

Fu Xingchuan looked at him for a while and said, “…Okay.”

“Why?” Huang Jin, inside the bed sheets, muttered with a voice that wasn’t too loud. “You just said you wanted to be the last one.”

“Because I’m different from you.”

Li Nian maintained his calm and plain tone.

“If it were me, there would be a more than 90% chance that I would disappear instantly. I still have work at Shian, and it’s not the right time yet.”

Huang Jin finally emerged his head from the bed sheet and looked at Li Nian with a hint of surprise.

“Then let’s end it here for today.” Upon hearing these words, Yin Ren stood up with an expression that wasn’t too great. “Everyone needs rest, and Minister Jiao and I have gathered enough data. Minister Jiao, when you have results on your end, remember to have Fu Xingchuan and the others inform me.”

With that, he, unusually, didn’t wait for his companions and was the first to leave the room.

Zhong Chengshuo quickly followed suit and walked out second.

“There are still three hours until the end of work. We can go home first, and you can request to work from home.” Zhong Chengshuo habitually discussed the day’s plan. “We made great progress at Shian today, which is suitable for us to study together.”

“Sure, okay…” Yin Ren replied with little enthusiasm.

“I can make your favorite food at home.”

Seeing that his lover was in a bad mood, Zhong Chengshuo blinked his eyes and took out his top-ranked response plan from his mind.

“Do you have any thoughts about what just happened?” Yin Ren smoothly stepped into the elevator and pressed the “1” button.

Zhong Chengshuo looked around, and they were the only two people in the elevator, but the atmosphere wasn’t as gentle as usual.

“The reason for those people’s disappearance may be related to the emotion of ‘love’. However, the specific conditions and whether they are consistent with the incident from twenty-eight years ago will need to be determined after examining the specific data.”

So that’s it. Yin Ren was probably focused on considering the case. After pondering for a moment, Zhong Chengshuo confidently gave his opinion.

“Is that all?” Yin Ren turned his face, and his visible disappointment was unmasked.

Zhong Chengshuo’s thoughts raced frantically, unable to think of any overlooked aspects. He shook his head sincerely. Yin Ren let out a sigh, and the mini wings that were attached to Zhong Chengshuo’s chest slipped out and reverted to ordinary strands of hair.

“Are you angry?”

Zhong Chengshuo, following the fine tradition of a science post, asked when he didn’t understand.

“No.” Yin Ren stopped by the roadside, staring at the busy traffic in the afternoon.

“But you’re in a bad mood. Is it because of me?”

“You could say that…”

“I understand. It’s because I covered Huang Jin with a bed sheet and saw him without clothes.” Zhong Chengshuo began analyzing the accumulated themes of romantic works. “So you’re unhappy.”

Yin Ren looked at him in shock. He touched his own forehead, then touched Zhong Chengshuo’s forehead, his face filled with even more perplexity.

Fortunately, at that moment, the taxi they had called in advance arrived, preventing Lord Ghost King’s medical examination behavior from escalating further.

“…I just thought that maybe you should be angry.”

Once they got in the car, Yin Ren immediately opened the window. The autumn air carried a strong scent of osmanthus flowers, filling the car in an instant. Zhong Chengshuo tilted his head slightly and appeared a bit confused.

“Why should I be angry?”

Yin Ren glanced at the driver in front and began typing on his phone.

[The reason for the disappearances is related to “love”, but these rules have a very mild effect on me, slightly stronger than Fu Xingchuan and the others.]

[Ge Tingting is young and has little experience. Fu Xingchuan thought of a family trip to the seaside. As for my feelings for you, they don’t seem to be as strong as you think. Upon reflection, the things I’ve done for you sound remarkable, but they are all based on the premise that “I know I am strong”. It’s not that extraordinary.]

Zhong Chengshuo lowered his gaze, quietly reading the text. After spending some time in the modern world, Yin Ren’s typing speed had noticeably increased.

[You have always been quick-witted. How could you not have thought of this? But you don’t seem to care about it either. I have a strange feeling, as if it’s not right for me to be mad at myself, nor at you.]

[I’m worried.]

After typing those words, Yin Ren’s fingers paused for a moment. His strands of hair swayed gently, and the warm afternoon light flowed slowly through his black hair. Lord Ghost King sighed for a few seconds before resuming the movement of his fingers.

[I’m worried that our approach to love is off, and I don’t know how to do it. I’m supposed to be the one guiding you, as I understand social conventions better than you.]

Zhong Chengshuo blinked his eyes, reached out his hand, and slowly pulled the little device from Yin Ren’s hand.

[I can’t answer that.]

In the refreshing and sweet scent of osmanthus, he earnestly typed his response.

[I can only tell you that this experiment hasn’t been thoroughly analyzed yet. In theory, Lu Xiaohe’s “love” for her mother should not be weaker than Huang Jin’s “love” for Ding Lizi. I believe emotions are complex, and there are many variables in the experiment.]

[The “intensity of love” may be just one of the conditions. Until we have more certain conditions, you don’t need to feel discouraged.]

Zhong Chengshuo typed that sentence very slowly. Yin Ren couldn’t help but shift his gaze and look at Zhong Chengshuo, who was typing seriously.

Zhong Chengshuo was sitting on the side facing the sun. As the sunlight poured in through the car window, it cast a golden-brown hue on his black eyelashes.

“Are you trying to comfort me?” Yin Ren forced a smile, dissipating some of the confusion. However, it still lingered like a layer of dark clouds in his heart.

Zhong Chengshuo turned his dark eyes and shook his head firmly.

[This is science.] He emphasized seriously.

“Well, I hope I’m just overthinking.”

Zhong Chengshuo was still the same Zhong Chengshuo, explaining the situation with such rationality that it was exasperating. With important matters at hand, Yin Ren decided to set aside this mysterious emotional issue and focus on finding a solution on his own.

“Anyway, let’s focus our energy on the experiment… Huh?”

Zhong Chengshuo didn’t stop there; he seemed to have noticed something and started typing seriously again.

[Personally, I think it doesn’t matter if we choose the wrong way of love or if our emotional intensity isn’t as strong as others. In this aspect, I don’t need your guidance.]

[You are judging guidance based on human emotions as a benchmark, but we are not humans, and those benchmarks may not be applicable.]

After typing this sentence, a subtle sense of satisfaction appeared on Zhong Chengshuo’s tense face.

[Objectively speaking, we are each other’s only kind.]

“That’s true.”

Yin Ren was taken aback, then chuckled. Looking at the vivid satisfaction on Zhong Chengshuo’s face, for some reason, most of his distress dissipated in an instant.

“I didn’t expect it, Zhong Ge. You’re quite eloquent… Wait a minute.”

Yin Ren’s expression suddenly froze.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 189: Each Takes What They Need

Zhong Chengshuo silently tightened his grip on Qi Xin. Ever since this person appeared, he hadn’t exchanged any eye contact with Yin Ren.

Yin Ren tried to calm his emotions. With Qi Xin’s allegiance still uncertain, he couldn’t casually reveal that “Zhong Chengshuo is a powerful Primordial Elemental”. After all, when they met in Gengsheng Town, she only focused on him and called him a “cub”, seemingly unaware of Zhong Chengshuo’s special nature.

“Alright, it’s not a flesh puppet.” Yin Ren adopted the demeanor of the Great Celestial Master of a thousand years ago, speaking calmly and casually. “But you should also know that Zhong Chengshuo was killed by Mr. Qiu, and I don’t have the ability to resurrect the dead.”

Since Qi Xin knew that Yin Ren killed Mr. Qiu, she must have some understanding of Mr. Qiu’s attack on the Fu residence. As expected, her expression remained unchanged upon hearing that Zhong Chengshuo was killed.

“As for what this is, it has nothing to do with you.”

Yin Ren continued reluctantly. He casually pulled over an interrogation chair and sat down with an indifferent posture.

“You come and go mysteriously without speaking human language, and now I have to explain everything to you in detail?”

Qi Xin’s gaze shifted between Zhong Chengshuo and Yin Ren. Suddenly, her neck twitched like a snake, and she leaned forward to sniff the back of Zhong Chengshuo’s neck. Zhong Chengshuo remained motionless, as if he had turned into a wax figure on the spot.

After sniffing, Qi Xin moved her restrained wrist, and her expression became even more puzzled.

“We have already determined that Primordial Elementals exist in a food chain system. The higher up the food chain, the more primal and purer the emotions, and the fewer the number of individuals within the species.”

Zhong Chengshuo suddenly spoke with a flat tone.

“Mr. Qiu represents the emotion of ‘disgust’, while the emotion you possess is ‘sorrow’. Both of you are top-tier Elementals in the food chain, and it is highly likely that only one of each exists. After the original dies, a cub will appear.”

Qi Xin stopped struggling. She stood calmly in place, examining Yin Ren once again with an almost scrutinizing gaze.

Yin Ren chuckled softly. “This is the result of my investigation. Surprised?”

God knew how many facial twitches he suppressed behind this relaxed smile.

He himself was surprised! Zhong Chengshuo didn’t mention anything about “the death of the original individual and the birth of a new offspring”! This guy must have secretly studied something and hadn’t had a chance to tell him yet.

Feigning ignorance while keeping his eyes open, this was probably the essence of being an accomplice.

Fortunately, the intelligence Zhong Chengshuo provided was indeed useful.

“Interesting. You can have your puppet release me now. I can listen to what you have to say.” Qi Xin raised her chin. “Of course, I won’t guarantee cooperation.”

“Release her,” Yin Ren ordered.

Zhong Chengshuo finally released his grip on Qi Xin’s arm. Qi Xin disregarded the shattered glass on the table and sat cross-legged on it. Zhong Chengshuo remained standing in his original position. It must be said that he was truly suited to play the role of a puppet, reaching the pinnacle of acting skills.

Yin Ren pressed his temples and quickly assessed the current situation.

[’You’ are still alive. No… No, it should be said, ‘You’ are back… I knew it would be like this…]

[You have to grow up quickly. Come back soon and kill us well.]

That was what Qi Xin said when they met in Gengsheng Town. At that time, she was devouring the Semi-Evil Spirit old mayor with overwhelming strength that was truly shocking.

At this critical moment, Zhong Chengshuo wouldn’t waste words. If he wanted to intimidate Qi Xin, he would surely mention information that they both knew so as not to disrupt Yin Ren’s “performance”. But he deliberately chose information that Yin Ren was unaware of, so there must be some deeper meaning to “targeting Qi Xin” within it.

Yin Ren’s mind had never worked so hard before. In a flash of lightning, countless thoughts raced through his mind.

The death of the original individual and the birth of a new offspring… The “You” that Qi Xin mentioned, who could kill many Primordial Elementals, was likely a representation of the top-tier species in the food chain. After all, “top-tier Primordial Elementals are highly likely to exist as the only one”.

Literally speaking, there was once an Elemental on the Other Side that had killed countless others and was extremely formidable. If Qi Xin wasn’t mistaken, this “You” likely referred to Zhong Chengshuo.

However, Yin Ren couldn’t see how this science post, who even haggled at the market, could match the image of a “killer of many”. Even in the role of King Yama, Zhong Chengshuo demanded payment for his services.

And aside from that, why would Qi Xin yearn for “death”?

Mr. Qiu was annihilated, indicating that Primordial Elementals could be completely destroyed. If Miss Qi truly desired death so much, she could simply ask her companions to tear her apart.

However, this Primordial Elemental representing “sorrow” had appeared just minutes ago, seeking something to eat, showing clear concern for the quality of life.

It was too contradictory. Could the phrase “kill us” be some mysterious symbol? Yin Ren wished he could pry open her mouth and make her speak more intelligibly.

But all he could do was think in his mind.

In less than ten seconds, Yin Ren resumed the conversation.

“Now I have some understanding of the Primordial Elementals and have the means to suppress them. Of course, all of this is based on my exploration using human technology. As for your so-called Primordial Elemental skills in combat, I simply cannot comprehend them out of thin air.”

For the former Great Celestial Master, adopting the tone of a superior came naturally.

“Since our encounter in Gengsheng Town, your attitude toward me has been rather strange… Since you have a favor to ask, your attitude should at least be a bit better.”

Qi Xin’s neck had returned to its original state. She remained silent, only eagerly observing Yin Ren.

“Of course, I also have a favor to ask of you. How about we each take what we need and make a deal?”

“…Hmm, what should I do?”

Qi Xin’s fingers rubbed her lower lip, her tone full of playfulness. She toyed with the shards of glass on the table with her fingertips, but her delicate fingers showed no signs of any wounds.

“If I were to reveal secrets that should not be revealed, in human terms, I would be a ‘sinner to my race’. I still need to operate on the Other Side, and it wouldn’t be cost-effective to offend all of my kind for an immature cub.”

Zhong Chengshuo opened his mouth as if he wanted to speak, but Yin Ren gently shook his head at him.

“I only have two questions I want to ask.”

Yin Ren said.

“I guarantee you that these questions are very ordinary, and no one would suspect that it was you who asked them.”

Qi Xin stopped playing with the shards and said, “Go ahead, ask.”

“The first question: I know that recently, people who have gone missing have been sent to the Other Side. I want to know if, with the resources we currently have, we can rescue them?”

Yin Ren tapped his fingers on the armrest of the interrogation chair, his palms slightly sweaty. His tone was slow, attempting to make every word clear to Qi Xin.

“The second question… The corruption source of slight Evil Force shouldn’t have such a significant impact on the mortal realm. Behind the recent chaos, there must have been the intervention of your ‘friend’. What I want to ask is, if I can disrupt Sunken Society’s plans and kill your friend, would you be willing to cooperate with me?”

“You have few questions, but many doubts to clarify.” Qi Xin chuckled, but her smile was extremely stiff, like a mask carved by an amateur. “Indeed, these questions won’t cause me any trouble.”

Her neck extended once again, and her plain and lackluster face leaned toward Yin Ren.

“For the first question, you can save them. But a small suggestion, don’t use the pile of brains from just now… They have defects that will conveniently lead you astray from the correct answer.”

“For the second question, if you can kill Mr. Le, I am more than willing to cooperate with you. I will keep a close eye on you, little cub.”

With that, Qi Xin stood up, preparing to leave.

But just as she was about halfway through disappearing, her wrist was suddenly grabbed by someone with a loud snap.

“What is the meaning of this?” Ms. Qi Xin’s smile carried a hint of hidden anger as she looked at Zhong Chengshuo’s hand.

“These models are precious, valuable relics left behind by Zhong Chengshuo.” Zhong Chengshuo stated seriously. “You destroyed all of them, and you need to compensate.”

Qi Xin was straightforward. “How much?”

“It’s priceless and can only be exchanged for intelligence.” Zhong Chengshuo tightened his grip causing Qi Xin’s joints to crack. “Provide more information about saving people.”

Qi Xin raised her brows, and her expression gradually turned meaningful.

“It seems your understanding of the Other Side is still limited.” Qi Xin smiled uncomfortably. “Don’t you have a readily-made helper, Shian?”

After speaking, she broke each of Zhong Chengshuo’s fingers one by one and vanished into thin air.

The basement was once again a mess. The soy milk mixed with glass shards had turned cold. It was already 6:30 in the morning, they had no experiments to do, no time for a complete rest, and could only face the blown-up experimental equipment in sadness.

“Can those models be restored?” After a while, Yin Ren cautiously spoke.

“The basic data is backed up,” Zhong Chengshuo said gloomily, walking heavily towards Yin Ren. “But those instruments were specially made and very expensive.”

“You can use my bank card.”

Zhong Chengshuo glanced at Yin Ren, not saying a word. The emotions in his gaze were subtle, and even Yin Ren became disheartened.

“Alright, I understand. No need to say anything.”

So, it turned out that what was blown up just now was not only the precious models but also the fortune accumulated by King Yama over the years, far surpassing Shian’s compensation. Yin Ren’s tone was filled with infinite regret, almost tempting Qi Xin to come over again.

The two melancholic figures sat together on the chair, silently listening to the ticking of the second hand.

“We still have over two hours before work,” Yin Ren said.

“Yeah.”

“Is there still time to conduct any research or verification?”

“No materials.” Zhong Chengshuo rubbed the back of his head, and he spoke with a hint of bitterness in his tone.

It was rare to see him so listless. Yin Ren pondered for a moment, glanced at the clock, and suddenly had a brilliant idea. Wings rustled and covered the floor as Yin Ren leaned close to Zhong Chengshuo’s ear. There was a hint of amusement in his serious tone.

“It just suddenly occurred to me that we can still conduct a research study. Time might be a bit tight, but we should have enough time.”

Zhong Chengshuo turned his head with confusion. Yin Ren happened to lean in front of him, so their noses almost touched. Several warm wings gently brushed past him.

“Do you want to study whether the same species of Elementals can reproduce?”

……

As the memories faded, Yin Ren rubbed his slightly darkened eyes and looked at Unit 9 in front of him.

Lu Xiaohe wore an anxious expression. In just one day, she looked much more haggard. Yin Ren sighed inwardly and decided to make the hint more explicit—to ensure that they wouldn’t draw attention to Zhong Chengshuo, they needed to appear “normal.”

“Speaking of which, I still think this case is similar to the Bai Yongji case.” Yin Ren sat on the sofa in the office. “Although in that case, it was because I was accidentally… well, not entirely accidentally—kidnapped, that it was solved. Now, thinking back, this disappearance case clearly involves the Other Side. It’s unlikely that there has been no reaction from the higher-ups at Shian.”

Since Qi Xin asked them to seek help from Shian, there must be a reason behind it. For someone as clever as Lu Xiaohe, giving her a clue should be enough to prompt her.

Sure enough, Lu Xiaohe raised her face, stiff as a board, and a hint of light appeared in her lifeless eyes.

She seemed to recall something, and her lips trembled slightly.

“Encrypted report! The Bai Yongji case had an encrypted report from the Emergency Management Department… The number, let me think… SA8729948719.”

She murmured to herself and rushed to the console.

Today was different from the past. Now, Lu Xiaohe had the authority equivalent to that of the Emergency Management Department. She typed on the keyboard with great force, almost smashing it. In the silent gaze of everyone, she swiftly accessed that high-level report. Lu Xiaohe even forgot to enlarge the text, lowering her head and quickly scanning through the dense words.

One name that appeared multiple times quickly caught Lu Xiaohe’s attention.

Current Minister of Foreign Object Identification Department, Minister Jiao, Jiao Lian.

Twenty-eight years ago, during the Divine Descent incident, she was a “Charon” in the Emergency Management Department, dedicated to researching the Other Side. The report indicated that if they wanted to determine the victim’s location as soon as possible, they could seek help from Jiao Lian.

Lu Xiaohe swallowed her saliva.

Without discussing with any of her colleagues, she immediately called Fu Xingchuan.

“Minister Fu.”

Her voice was hoarse as she spoke.

“I think… No, this case requires the support of Minister Jiao.”

Fu Xingchuan, on the other end of the phone, remained silent for a long time. “Jiao Lian?”

“In the Bai Yongji case, she assisted Shian in locating the victims.” Lu Xiaohe tightly closed the office door and activated the speakerphone. “She can access the Other Side, right? As long as she can find the person, we will definitely…”

“Definitely what?” Fu Xingchuan’s tone was somewhat complicated.

“Definitely… definitely…” Lu Xiaohe choked up.

In the end, she pursed her lips and fell silent.

“In the Bai Yongji case, all the victims had only half of their bodies sent to the Other Side. In other words, they were all stuck in place. These people have completely entered the Other Side, so they naturally would move around before dying, making it difficult to track them.”

Fu Xingchuan sighed.

“I’ll be frank with you. When Minister Jiao searches for someone, she needs the precise thoughts of the missing person. And as long as the person is found, we can ‘pull them back’ through the remaining half of their body in the human world… Your cases have completely disappeared from the human realm, with no thoughts as clues. Even if we can find them, except for a true Charon, no one can bring people in and out of the other side.”

“But… But the previous Archive… the memory world…” Lu Xiaohe instinctively retorted.

“Those places are similar to interstitial spaces, but they’re not the real Other Side,” Fu Xingchuan patiently explained. “In Minister Jiao’s case… she can no longer send people to the Other Side. Personally, I think it’s better for you to search for the conditions that triggered the disappearances.”

Having experienced ups and downs, Lu Xiaohe slumped back in her chair, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. She still held the phone in her hand, her mouth moving silently.

It seemed like she was saying, “Mom.”

On the other end of the phone, Fu Xingchuan didn’t hang up, patiently waiting for her to catch her breath.

“…I understand.” After about half a minute, Lu Xiaohe forced out a smile. “If Minister Jiao could easily find people, Minister Meng Huai wouldn’t have been out of touch for so long. I’m sorry, my mind was clouded, and I didn’t think it through.”

After speaking, she stared blankly at the screen of her phone. Fu Xingchuan didn’t say anything; the only change was the duration of the call with each passing second.

“The rear command shouldn’t act so recklessly. Perhaps I shouldn’t be in charge of this case. I should…”

Before she could utter a trembling “recluse”, Yin Ren snatched the phone from her hand.

“I also want to meet Minister Jiao,” Yin Ren said.

“Why?”

“Because I have a hypothesis that was halfway verified yesterday before the equipment was damaged. If we want to verify it more accurately, we can only ask for Minister Jiao’s help,” Yin Ren replied.

“…” Fu Xingchuan fell into silence for a long time. “If you just want to try to find someone again, I can tell you clearly, it’s useless. Every method you can think of to find someone has been tried before.”

“No, it’s not about finding someone. You’ll know when the time comes.”

……

In the dim room, the “blood and flesh wires” of the neural network crawled up the walls, and a malformed monster leaned against the headboard with frantically flickering screens embedded in its body. They were tangled together, and indecipherable patterns quickly flickered and changed on the screens. In front of the soft bedsheet, a phone was in the middle of a call.

Li Nian stood on the left, and Fu Xingchuan stood on the right, both beside the bed. Their expressions were unusually serious, with their gazes fixed on Yin Ren.

The air in the room was dry and pleasant, at a temperature that was most comfortable, yet Lu Xiaohe shivered. The “monster” in front of her emitted an oppressive feeling that was hard to bear, causing goosebumps to cover her entire body. Huang Jin and Ge Tingting, who were following behind her, were even more nervous. Ge Tingting plugged her ears, while Huang Jin didn’t know what he had seen and simply closed his eyes.

“Why did they ask us to come too?” he even muttered softly.

In front of Lu Xiaohe, Yin Ren stood with Zhong Chengshuo. He looked up at the glittering “pile of monitors” and fell silent.

“Alright, everyone.”

They stood in place as a synthesized voice sounded from the phone.

“I am, Jiao Lian. What do, you guys need?”

Yin Ren took a deep breath and took a step forward. “Hello, I am Zhong Yi. I believe you have heard of my name.”

The flickering on the screen stopped at that very moment. Even Fu Xingchuan turned his head, looking over with a hint of surprise.

“During the Divine Descent twenty-eight years ago, many people went missing. Now, due to the corruption caused by Evil Force, disappearances have occurred in Haigu once again. After studying these disappearance cases, we have a hypothesis.”

The flickering on the screen stopped at that very moment, and even Fu Xingchuan turned his head, looking over with a slightly surprised expression.

“Twenty-eight years ago during the Divine Descent, many people went missing. Now, in Haigu, there are once again disappearances caused by the corruption of Evil Force. After conducting research, we have a hypothesis regarding these disappearance cases.”

“……”

Jiao Lian remained silent, but her screen began to flicker again. It was clear that she was listening. This time, it was Professor Li Nian, who was usually as steady as Mount Tai, who turned his body and fixed his gaze on Yin Ren.

“All the missing individuals are mentally resilient. Most of them have good personalities; it’s simply an expression of their mental health and strength… This characteristic allows these people to survive longer on the Other Side.”

“Yes, they should go, ‘mad’ later. Going ‘mad’ later, means dying later.”

Jiao Lian finally responded, but her synthesized voice didn’t reveal any emotions.

“Just like me.”

Yin Ren hummed with a complicated mood. “These people were sent into the other side by Primordial Elementals. These beings enjoy consuming emotions. Perhaps there is some commonality in emotions among them… Unfortunately, my materials were damaged yesterday, and I couldn’t find that common point.”

He opened his palm, revealing a wooden talisman in his hand.

“I have another hypothesis that needs to be verified. Can you help me?”

“How can, I help?”

“Next, I will use this wooden talisman to influence the people around me.”

Yin Ren took a step back, his gaze sweeping around.

“The people here are relatively mentally resilient. I will conduct further experiments with them. I kindly request that you observe any activity on the Other Side… I believe that if we find the ‘trigger’ for the disappearances, there will definitely be a reaction on the Other Side. Please help me keep an eye out.”

Even Ms. Qi had to tear open a space to find food and accessing the Archive and Memory World required using magic and energy as mediums. People couldn’t pass through the cracks between the human realm and the Other Side without leaving traces.

In the face of these mind-boggling statements, everyone else remained silent, except for two individuals who spoke almost simultaneously.

Huang Jin: “Who are you going to experiment on?!”

Ge Tingting: “I’m willing to help Xiaohe Jie!”

The rest remained silent. With Ge Tingting’s response, Huang Jin couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed. Even so, he still firmly displayed his cowardice.

“It’s not me, but this person… This person must have had a problem while crossing the Other Side, which caused them to end up like this, right?” Huang Jin pointed at Jiao Lian on the bed with a pale face. “Her thoughts are fragmented and disjointed, but she’s still trying to hold on. There are many thoughts mixed in her that don’t belong to her, it looks incredibly… incredibly…”

Just like Frankenstein’s monster, stitched together from the corpses of various minds.

“I also want to save Lu Xiaohe’s mother, but I have people to take care of too. What if—what if that wooden talisman really…?”

“Then you can go last.” Ge Tingting reassured him with confidence. “With your bad personality, it probably won’t succeed.”

Huang Jin: “…”

“It’s okay. Once anything unusual happens, I will inform Zhong Yi and stop.” Jiao Lian’s voice came from the phone. Perhaps it was an illusion, but her voice had a faint hint of amusement. “Don’t be afraid, young man. I’m not trying to hold on, either.”

A low and mournful sound escaped from Huang Jin’s throat.

“Xiao Huang, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to participate.”

Lu Xiaohe stepped forward solemnly.

“It’s not your obligation, so you can completely refuse. It won’t change how I see you.”

Huang Jin: “I…”

His handsome face, now clouded, contorted slightly.

“Forget it. I have a bad personality. It’s fine.” He turned his head, keeping a distance. “It’s settled. I’ll go last.”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 188: Experimental Accident

Yin Ren had become accustomed to Zhong Chengshuo’s horror-inducing behavior by now.

Zhong Chengshuo, sleep-deprived and groggy, climbed out of bed and squinted as he changed his clothes. Yin Ren pulled out a linen shirt from the wardrobe, put it on, and made two cups of chilled fruit juice from the apples in the refrigerator, considering it a refreshing drink.

In just a quarter of an hour, the windows of the living room were wide open. Yin Ren held Zhong Chengshuo tightly, and the two flew towards the secret base in the old city district.

Zhong Chengshuo’s secret basement remained the same as before. Compared to the summer, the indoor air felt cooler and drier.

As Yin Ren touched the steel frame along the wall, he couldn’t help but feel a bit sentimental. There were memories of intimacy and sweetness mixed with sorrow and despair about this place. His gaze swept over the interrogation chair, where they first experienced an intimate melding of body and soul, and then turned to the storage room hidden behind the clamp, where the sweetness and bitterness in his heart merged into a rich chocolate-like flavor.

His gaze finally landed on Zhong Chengshuo, who had entered the room ahead of him.

The room’s layout was as cold and rigid as before. It truly needed Zhong Chengshuo to walk around in it to avoid feeling lifeless.

Zhong Chengshuo immediately headed for the refrigerator, attempting to find some chocolate or juice for Yin Ren. Unfortunately, they had indulged here for an absurd amount of time, exhausting their energy, and all the food and drinks had been emptied at once.

So Comrade Xiao Zhong could only hang his head, with a stern face, and walk towards the shelves.

He took down a stainless steel canister and carefully moved it to the table. He called Yin Ren closer, and then verified his fingerprint at the top of the canister. With a slight hissing sound, the canister emitted a strange-smelling gas. The contents inside rose on their own, revealing their true nature.

It was a human brain.

Yin Ren’s pupils contracted, and then he looked at Zhong Chengshuo in shock.

Embedded in the stainless steel canister was a glass container, and floating inside it was a human brain. The brain had a full and rounded shape, with a fresh grayish-pink hue on its surface, as if it were still alive. With Zhong Chengshuo’s movements, it gently swayed inside the glass container.

“Zhong Ge… What is this…”

Even though Lord Ghost King’s biological knowledge was close to zero, he still knew that a person couldn’t survive without a brain.

Zhong Chengshuo blinked and tapped on the glass canister. Suddenly, the brain inside the canister became semi-transparent, shimmering with countless subtle streams of light.

“This is the refined modeling method I’ve found. In terms of microscopic structure and level of detail, it is no different from a living brain.” Zhong Chengshuo solemnly introduced. “Unfortunately, this technology is not suitable for exposure at the moment. To obtain accurate information from the brain’s interior, a significant amount of stimulation is required, and the methods are somewhat inhumane.”

He pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his nose. His tone was devoid of guilt, as if it were more like making some kind of judgment.

Yin Ren silently looked at the colorful brain model. “I have indeed been curious. What did you do to Guo Laifu back then?”

He had seen Guo Laifu’s memories. That beast who sacrificed his own son had been driven mad by Zhong Chengshuo. Unfortunately, the memories lacked the process, leaving Guo Laifu’s mind shrouded in darkness.

Zhong Chengshuo pondered for a moment, took a deep breath, and lifted his eyes. “Yin Ren, look at me.”

Yin Ren subconsciously looked at those familiar eyes, and the next moment, those crimson irises slightly widened.

Just like the pitch-black ocean beneath the cliff back then, Zhong Chengshuo’s eyes were not truly “black”.

Upon closer inspection, it was unclear whether this person’s pupils were too dilated or his irises were too dark, but Yin Ren couldn’t find the boundary between Zhong Chengshuo’s irises and pupils. However, he could see clearly that something was squirming, squeezing, and rotating within those eyes, revealing vague contours.

That refined and elegant face seemed to transform into some kind of exquisite container in that moment. This body called “Zhong Chengshuo” only resembled a human in appearance but lacked a crucial “living human” aura.

Just through their gaze, every hair on Yin Ren’s back stood up, overwhelmed by an unprecedented sense of repulsion.

Just like a fierce tiger sensing another.

As time passed, a bone-deep fear, directly penetrating his soul, seeped into Yin Ren. It bypassed the steps of “perception” and “thought” and went straight to the depths of his heart, like instinct. Fortunately, the intensity of this fear was relatively mild, equivalent to “discovering that the usual late-night snack shop was closed”.

Zhong Chengshuo was about to avert his gaze when he felt a not-too-light, not-too-heavy pulling sensation on his cheek.

The audacious Lord Ghost King approached, tugging at his face.

The situation was similar to his speculation. Zhong Chengshuo hadn’t completely merged his body into a human form; he retained some of his original structure within his eyeballs. Just like the venomous fangs of a venomous snake—as long as they were used appropriately, they could transform into a terrifying weapon at any moment.

It was fortunate that Zhong Yude and Cheng Xuehua had adopted this guy. Zhong Chengshuo had no sense of belonging to the “human” race. If he had been raised by Sunken Society, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

It was great that before him, there was still the pure and naive “god” from back then.

“You held back with me, right? It’s true that seeing your true form would be enough to scare an ordinary person to death,” Yin Ren sincerely remarked.

“Yes.” Zhong Chengshuo’s voice was strained as his face was still being tugged. “Mmm… I will test their limits of fear.”

Yin Ren took the opportunity to give him a kiss, then released his hand. Seeing that Yin Ren had no other reaction, Zhong Chengshuo adjusted his askew glasses, and his brows and eyes softened quite a bit.

He started moving around the secret base again. Before long, the entire table was filled with highly detailed models of human brains. Countless brains flickered with subtle lights, neatly arranged on the table. Zhong Chengshuo sat down in front of the computer and started typing on the keyboard.

Yin Ren, on the other hand, lay idle on the table, gazing at the mesmerizing flow of lights from the brains before him.

It was truly fascinating how these models, obtained from heinous serial killers, could be so beautiful. They emitted a faint glow within their glass containers, resembling some kind of bizarre-shaped deep-sea jellyfish.

Yin Ren clenched the wooden rabbit talisman in his hand, but these brains showed no peculiar reactions.

All he could hear was the tapping of Zhong Chengshuo’s keyboard, mixed with the crisp clicking sound of the mouse. Yin Ren tightened his grip on the wooden rabbit talisman, and his eyelids grew heavier.

In the next moment, Yin Ren was abruptly awakened by an overwhelming killing intent.

The source of the killing intent was numerous, coming from all directions. And at this moment, he was no longer in the familiar underground basement but floating amidst chaos. At the end of the killing intent, countless shimmering and translucent “brain jellyfish” floated around him, radiating intense malice and killing intent.

Yin Ren instinctively suppressed his aura.

He could sense that the killing intent didn’t stem from hatred or anger but purely from “pleasure”. Those flickering brains were like sharks catching the scent of blood, lingering around him.

And in the distance, Yin Ren couldn’t see clearly. His senses were exceptionally chaotic, as if submerged in murky seawater. The brain jellyfish gradually faded away, sinking deeper into the sea, while more indistinct entities appeared around him.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The chaos was filled with rhythmic vibrations, and its sensation was difficult to describe. Unrelated to hearing, unrelated to touch, but Yin Ren just knew that the collision sound never ceased.

What kind of place is this?

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The rhythmic vibrations were irregular, with subtle variations in rhythm. If forced to describe, it was as if someone was manually striking something.

Yin Ren couldn’t help but move his body, quietly approaching the source of the strikes. However, this place was bizarre. He wandered in place for a long time, unable to make any progress or successfully move even a bit.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The “sound” became clearer, causing discomfort throughout Yin Ren’s body. Just as he was about to further investigate, something suddenly grabbed hold of him. It possessed a formidable aura, pulling him in the opposite direction of the pounding sound.

Yin Ren wanted to confirm the identity of the assailant, but the perception remained chaotic, and he couldn’t glean any further information about the “attacker.”

Who could it be?

Before Yin Ren could fully comprehend the situation, a warmth pressed against his shoulder. He instantly opened his eyes and found himself back in the basement, bathed in the cold light.

“…Yin Ren.”

At some point, Zhong Chengshuo had stopped his search. He gently shook Yin Ren’s shoulder and called out in a low voice.

“Yin Ren, wake up. I’ve almost finished the search.”

Yin Ren pressed his slightly throbbing temple, abruptly transitioning from a dream to reality. The sensation of weightlessness threatened to swallow him whole.

“What?”

“Twenty-eight years ago, the missing people from the Divine Descent.” Zhong Chengshuo displayed his computer screen, and beside the computer, a stack of thick paper documents appeared out of nowhere. “I’ve observed some families and recorded more detailed information than the Shian officials. It’s a fact that most of the missing individuals had good personalities.”

Yin Ren momentarily set aside the inexplicable dream and perked up his ears. “You said ‘most of them had good personalities’?”

“Yes, unfortunately, there were a few individuals with not-so-good reputations.” As he spoke, Zhong Chengshuo brought up some data.

Yin Ren glanced at them briefly. Several were local troublemakers, while others were notoriously stingy vendors. Their information was very ordinary, lacking any earth-shattering positive deeds.

No matter how he looked at it, these individuals had no connection to the so-called “good personality”.

Zhong Chengshuo asked Yin Ren to sit in the chair while he wrapped his arms around the back of the chair and manipulated the mouse.

“You know, as long as there are exceptions, Fu Xingchuan’s speculation doesn’t hold. But he raised an interesting perspective: most of the missing individuals had good personalities, and that can’t be a mere coincidence.”

Yin Ren stared at the dense explanatory text on the computer screen.

Zhong Chengshuo’s investigation was incredibly detailed. Over the years, in order to determine the cause of Zhong Chengfeng’s disappearance, apart from basic elements like gender, age, and occupation, he even looked into the family composition and reputation of other missing individuals, compiling their “character profiles”.

Regardless of gender, regardless of age, regardless of occupation…

Unlike Zhong Chengshuo, Yin Ren’s memory of the modern era was limited. He looked at the seemingly unrelated data, and suddenly something flashed in his mind.

“…Zhong Ge, do you remember the series of disappearances involving Bai Yongji? The case where the victims were fused into furniture?”

“I remember.”

“His criteria were ‘enduring suffering while maintaining optimism’.” Yin Ren looked at the data in front of him, trying to organize his thoughts. “But it doesn’t have much to do with psychological reasons. It’s just because he wanted to send half of the victims’ bodies to the Other Side. Judging from his intentions, individuals with that personality trait would last a bit longer on the Other Side.”

Zhong Chengshuo hummed in response on his shoulder.

“Of course, these people disappeared entirely during the Divine Descent, and the circumstances aren’t entirely consistent. But I wonder… I’m just speculating—could this practice have something to do with ‘preservation on the Other Side’? All the Elementals we have encountered so far feed on emotions, and emotions arise when people are alive.”

Zhong Chengshuo released the chair.

He pondered for a moment and connected the numerous brains on the table to the computer.

“If your speculation is correct, these people disappeared because their ‘shelf life’ is longer and their ‘nutritional value’ is higher. It works perfectly.”

“These brain models belonged to serial killers, and their mental intensity is more than enough. Now, I will use them to simulate some common emotions. If your speculation is correct, there should be some useful data to be obtained if there is a corruption source from Evil Force nearby.”

……

The next day, Ge Tingting and Huang Jin saw dark circles under the eyes of the other three, indicating lack of sleep.

Lu Xiaohe’s insomnia was understandable, and Yin Ren’s sleeplessness could be attributed to coincidence. As for why the “flesh puppet” also had dark circles, that was a matter not worth pondering. For some reason, Ge Tingting felt a subtle sense of unease from Yin Ren today.

“Do you have any progress on your side?” Despite knowing that Yin Ren’s expression wasn’t good, Lu Xiaohe couldn’t help but ask. “Anything, really anything.”

“I have some speculations, but it’s not going smoothly.” Yin Ren evaded the question.

It wasn’t just going smoothly; it was causing big trouble.

That night, Zhong Chengshuo retrieved the emotional measurement scale from within Shian’s Archive. It was said to be the emotion data observed and analyzed by the Shian Observation and Analysis Archive, a meticulously revised and reasonably categorized scale—

Under the two basic categories of “fear” and “satisfaction”, there were subdivisions of “sorrow” and “hatred”, “joy” and “love”, as well as countless smaller, more subtle emotions extending further down the scale. It felt like it would take a hundred years to try them all.

So they started from the top with “satisfaction” and slowly proceeded along the positive emotions. The rabbit talisman was surrounded by brains on the table, and there was no change on either side.

The night ended, and the sun rose. The two Primordial Elementals went from being enthusiastic to bitter. Zhong Chengshuo started to yawn, and Yin Ren slipped out to buy breakfast. The faint smell of medicine in the room was overpowered by the aroma of deep-fried dough sticks and soy milk. Zhong Chengshuo finally decided to abandon the “quiet pleasure” according to the emotional data from Shian and switch to the “fear” category for another experiment.

This time, Zhong Chengshuo even wrote an emotion simulation script for this experiment.

A large amount of simulated fear emotions succeeded, but there was no response.

Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo each had a dough stick, dipping it in soy milk and eating bite by bite.

A large amount of disgust emotions were successfully simulated, but there was no response.

Yin Ren started to savor a tea egg slowly, and Zhong Chengshuo bit into a row of corn, occasionally glancing at his watch.

“It’s morning.” Zhong Chengshuo announced the time on the hour.

“Yes, it’s dawn.” Yin Ren wiped his mouth, his face filled with melancholy.

Zhong Chengshuo finished the corn, wiped the corners of his mouth earnestly, and leaned in to kiss Yin Ren’s forehead. “Good morning.”

At that moment, the program automatically simulated “sorrow”.

The rabbit talisman suddenly emitted a dazzling light, and sparks of electricity and magical brilliance erupted simultaneously. After a series of explosions, the surrounding brain models were destroyed one by one.

Amidst the smoke and broken glass, the space slowly cracked, and a familiar figure appeared before the two of them.

When Qi Xin appeared in this basement, Zhong Chengshuo hadn’t had the chance to finish kissing Yin Ren’s forehead. More than a dozen shards of glass fell into the steaming soy milk.

Qi Xin: “…” She stood on the table with her flat shoes, stepping on the wet glass and emitting squeaking and creaking sounds. All the brain models were completely damaged, and King Yama’s years of hunting records turned into nothingness in an instant.

Zhong Chengshuo and Yin Ren: “…”

The air was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

“I thought there was food.” Qi Xin glanced at Yin Ren, casually adjusting her hair. “Sorry for the interruption. Maybe we’ll meet again.”

“Wait!” Yin Ren spoke up. “I have something to discuss!”

“You did well in thwarting Mr. Qiu.”

Qi Xin looked down at Yin Ren from a high vantage point, and under the pale light, the faint red at the corner of her eyes appeared particularly striking.

“You have grown quickly, and I am pleased… In terms of power, you may have matured. But right now, you have no fighting skills. With your current level, there is nothing for us to discuss.”

She kept her gaze on Yin Ren as if Zhong Chengshuo on the side was just a decoration in the room.

“Maybe we’ll meet again, cub. Remember not to approach if you hear knocking sounds next time.”

Thinking of the inexplicable dream just now and the force that pulled him away, Yin Ren was taken aback. “Was it you just now…”

Qi Xin smiled lightly, and her figure began to fade away.

But this time, before Yin Ren could make a move, Zhong Chengshuo rushed forward like a cannonball and grabbed Qi Xin’s wrist. There was no expression on his face, but strangely, Yin Ren knew that his lover was displeased.

Qi Xin paid no attention to it. However, after a few seconds, all the profound and unfathomable expressions on her face turned into question marks.

Her body disappeared up to her wrist, and then, as if a skill had been interrupted, she solidified once again. Qi Xin and Zhong Chengshuo remained silent, staring at each other, and she slowly shook her wrist.

Zhong Chengshuo didn’t let go.

Qi Xin exerted more force to shake him off.

Zhong Chengshuo remained unmoved, and his expression turned even colder.

“What is this?” Qi Xin narrowed her eyes, and the aura of killing intent gradually intensified around her.

Yin Ren gasped for breath, his hand forming a seal, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on his back.

Qi Xin was a mysterious figure, one of the strongest Primordial Elementals they had encountered. With Lu Xiaohe’s mother’s life hanging in the balance, this was indeed a rare opportunity. If they could keep her here, they could join forces to suppress Qi Xin.

However… there was an obvious difference between Qi Xin and Zhong Chengshuo. Although she was a Primordial Elemental, she possessed emotional intelligence close to that of an ordinary person.

He needed to choose a more suitable means of communication.

“That is… cough, I made a flesh puppet, from my own flesh and blood.” Yin Ren coughed loudly.

Qi Xin: “You call this a flesh puppet? Do you think I’m stupid?”

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 187: Once Upon A Time

The night was deep, but the lights in the Shian building were brightly lit.

Li Nian sat in his seat, pinching the bridge of his nose. Xiang Jiang sat across from him, silently playing with his phone.

Li Nian wasn’t unfamiliar with Xiang Jiang’s state. Since Xiang Jiang became the Minister of the Emergency Management Department, they had never cooperated on a mission again. Even when they discovered a branch of Sunken Society below the abandoned building of the hospital, they didn’t have a true “battlefield collaboration”.

Since returning from Gengsheng Town, Li Nian had been having Hao Wenzhe keep an eye on Xiang Jiang’s communications. Unfortunately, there was no trace of any problems in this person’s communication records.

If it weren’t for Fu Xingchuan insisting that he had a hunch that this person would cause trouble, Li Nian himself would have given up.

Xiang Jiang’s work state was very peculiar. Besides never taking the initiative, he handled daily work without making any mistakes, even doing it neatly and efficiently. But if one were to say that he would willingly take the initiative to discover clues and work diligently like Fu Xingchuan, it was far from the truth.

It was like a machine devoid of personal emotions.

For example, at this moment, Li Nian was working overtime until past two in the morning, and this person was just keeping him company. He didn’t even touch his computer; he was just immersed in playing games.

“Have you read today’s report?” Li Nian took the initiative to speak.

“The cases of minor corruption caused by Evil Force have increased by 5.7%. Someone’s deliberately spreading corruption. According to the feedback from various investigation teams, the sources of corruption are small objects with auspicious signs, and according to the regulations, investigation teams of B-level or higher shouldn’t be deployed.” Xiang Jiang answered while staring at his phone, not even moving his eyes.

However, when he mentioned “according to the regulations,” he paused subtly.

Li Nian made a sound of acknowledgement.

According to Shian’s explicit regulations, this level of corruption indeed didn’t warrant the deployment of an A-level investigation team unless the higher-ups actively requested it. In the past, Fu Xingchuan would have taken a step forward and jointly applied with him to completely suppress this subtle doubt. But judging by Xiang Jiang’s reaction, it would be troublesome to apply for the intervention of a stronger individual in advance.

Sometimes, a passive individual who strictly follows the rules and avoids making mistakes was more difficult to deal with than an intentionally disruptive villain.

…But looking at it now, it was truly a blessing in disguise.

Thinking about the powerful individual surnamed Yin who had secretly taken over the case, not a single trace of emotion appeared on Li Nian’s face.

“We recently dismantled the stronghold of Sunken Society, so they will probably try to cause trouble in retaliation. The timing is sensitive, and Unit 9 is inexperienced, so I’ll send two B-level investigation teams to other areas for investigation,” Li Nian said lightly. “I sent you an email. Reply to it.”

Xiang Jiang finally looked up and glanced at Li Nian. In the end, he didn’t say anything and simply added “agree” to the email request.

Li Nian didn’t pay any attention to him either. Professor Li opened his book under the cover of the night and lowered his gaze.

The quiet atmosphere lasted for less than three minutes when Xiang Jiang’s phone vibrated. He answered the call expressionlessly. “Hello, Director Zhou.”

It was Director Zhou from the Municipal Public Security Bureau. Li Nian continued flipping through his book, holding his breath, and listening.

“There have been frequent incidents of small-scale conflicts and injuries in the city? Well, we have discovered someone spreading harmful substances. No, it’s not dangerous. We can handle it.”

Xiang Jiang responded in an official tone.

“Sorry, Director Zhou, based on our comprehensive judgment, the situation hasn’t reached a point where Shian’s intervention is necessary. As for public opinion matters, we can’t help.”

After speaking, Xiang Jiang hung up the phone directly.

“I’m leaving first.” Li Nian closed his book, stood up, and said, “You should go back early too.”

Xiang Jiang nodded but showed no intention of moving. As the office door closed, he continued to sit in the empty office, half-closing his eyes, playing a flashy mobile game.

In the unseen world for Li Nian, Xiang Jiang’s twin brother, Xiang Hai, was crouching behind Xiang Jiang. His pitch-black eye sockets were slightly tilted downward, staring straight at the colorful screen of the mobile phone.

……

In the early hours of the morning, Li Nian parked his car in front of an old residential complex.

Outside the vacant security room, there was a sign at the entrance that read “Qingzhu Jiayuan”.

Qingzhu Jiayuan was located in the old city district, with only five-story buildings and a style reminiscent of the previous century. Most of the residents here were elderly. The paint on the buildings was mottled and cracked, resembling the weathered back of an old person’s hand. The trees around the buildings were withered, and the flower beds were filled with weeds. The stench from an uncovered drain emitted a suffocating and peculiar odor.

In the early hours of the morning, all the windows were darkened. Looking from the entrance of the residential complex, the compact buildings resembled heavy tombstones.

After stopping in front of his home’s entrance, Li Nian didn’t immediately take out his keys.

He turned around and looked at the door opposite his own.

“I’m back,” he said.

The hallway was old, with the cement floor covered in dust, resembling an unfinished, rough construction site. Under the flickering lights, the security door of the door opposite his was slightly ajar, and inside was dark.

There were numerous scratches on the security door, and the walls were filled with graffiti, undoubtedly the work of children. There was also some partially removed sticky residue on the door, with remnants of yellow talisman paper clearly visible.

However, they were all coated with a layer of gloomy colors by time.

Li Nian stood silently in place, dressed in formal attire that seemed out of place in this setting. After nearly a minute, Professor Li turned around. He effortlessly opened the door with his keys, and the living room lights illuminated as Li Nian stepped into his dwelling.

Li Nian’s home was almost like a different world from the outside. The room was small, but the interior design appeared sleek, sophisticated, and aesthetically pleasing. The furniture and fixtures used high-quality materials. If a few pictures were taken inside this house and presented as a high-end apartment in a metropolis, it would likely deceive many people.

“You finally came back. How did it go?” Fu Xingchuan climbed up from Li Nian’s sofa in one swift motion.

On the coffee table in the living room was a thermal casserole containing a light stew that was still warm. Next to the casserole lay an empty bowl with rice grains, clearly indicating that someone had already eaten.

“Not great. Xiang Jiang still only knows how to follow the rules. We’ll have to rely on Unit 9 for this matter, and you have to assist them wholeheartedly.” Li Nian took off his coat and served himself a bowl of rice. “What about your end?”

“I made sure it wasn’t discovered by anyone.” Fu Xingchuan respectfully saluted.

“You didn’t need to come personally. The risk is too high if Sunken Society finds out,” Li Nian remarked.

“There’s one thing I need to ask you in person.” Fu Xingchuan’s tone unintentionally turned serious. “You had them investigate Meng Huai’s case under the pretense of a decoy operation. Li Nian, what were you thinking?”

Li Nian’s chopsticks paused.

“It was a decoy operation. With so many missing people back then, it wouldn’t appear natural to investigate only Zhong Chengfeng, an unrelated individual.” Li Nian set down his chopsticks and responded in a flat tone. “Now, there are also missing cases. Whether to merge the cases or how to prioritize them, Lu Xiaohe has it under control.”

“You know that’s not what I’m asking.” Fu Xingchuan crossed his arms, wiping away all the smile from his face.

“Why so serious today?”

“Regardless of whether it was a decoy operation or not, as long as you inserted this case into their considerations, Yin Ren and the others will take a comprehensive approach. Compared to Minister Meng, two elderly people also went missing from the nursing home back then. Their situation is more closely related to Zhong Chengfeng than Minister Meng.”

Li Nian pondered for a moment before picking up his chopsticks again.

“Meng Huai’s disappearance is valuable intelligence for reference. With an unclear situation, this case with significant deviations from similar missing persons cases can better illustrate the problem… It’s a logical deduction on my part.”

Li Nian picked up a piece of tofu with his chopsticks and spoke with a calm and composed tone.

“But if you ask me whether there are personal feelings involved in this decision, what would you do if I say ‘yes’? Give up working with me or report the situation to Shian?”

Fu Xingchuan’s gaze became complex.

“So troublesome. That’s why I said I’m not good at dealing with science posts.”

After a while, Fu Xingchuan also picked up a piece of tofu to eat.

“All of you are the same, coming with a purpose and leaving once the purpose is fulfilled. It’s true for the lowest-level employees, and even at your level… Haa.”

“Now that you’ve got the answer, it doesn’t matter. There’s no need for you to ask me.” Li Nian’s words were devoid of emotion.

“Who said that?”

Fu Xingchuan snatched another piece of tofu from the casserole.

“If you let it go, I’ll fully assist our Great Celestial Master. If you don’t let it go… I can’t reach Yin Ren’s level, but I’ll keep an eye on the progress and assist you as much as I can. At this point, I don’t want the most steadfast ally of Shian to be distracted.”

Li Nian fell silent for a moment. “There’s beer in the fridge. Help yourself.”

“I never would have guessed. I’ve been partnering with you for so long, and I didn’t know you could drink. When did you learn?”

“I knew you would come sooner or later,” Li Nian replied without answering the question.

As Fu Xingchuan opened the beer bottle with a “pop”, Li Nian had almost finished eating. He held the bowl, consuming the last piece of cabbage, and a faint glimmer reflected off the ring on his finger.

Fu Xingchuan instinctively glanced towards the direction of the living room door.

He had met Meng Huai.

Over twenty years ago, he was working in the A-level investigation team at the Shian Haigu branch. At that time, Meng Huai was being considered for the position of Minister of the Emergency Management Department. She was only two or three years older than him.

Fu Xingchuan, at that time, was in the prime of his youth and was rumored to be a genius of the Fu family. Suddenly encountering someone who was even more recognized, he felt somewhat dissatisfied with this unconventional sister.

However, contrary to her exaggerated appearance, Meng Huai was lively and talkative. Before Fu Xingchuan could display his own youthful awkwardness, Meng Huai approached him.

“Xiao Fu, I heard you are also a ghost master and a corpse servant? Impressive! When I was your age, I could never quite get the hang of controlling corpses. Even now, in the assessment for promotion to ghost general, I’m still lacking compared to other corpse servants… How about exchanging ideas?”

Her tone was particularly cheerful, making it hard to refuse.

At that time, Fu Xingchuan wasn’t even twenty yet, and he was particularly receptive to this “equal” style of conversation. After a few exchanges, he felt hesitant to express his “dissatisfaction” in front of Meng Huai—

After a few more exchanges, he realized that Meng Huai did indeed lack proficiency in controlling corpses, but she was indeed stronger than him. Every time she genuinely learned something from him, Meng Huai sincerely thanked him. More often than not, it was Meng Huai subtly guiding him, helping him avoid detours in the corpse servant field.

That girl truly had no airs about her.

Compared to Shen Mo, the mentor assigned to him by Shian at the time, Meng Huai felt more like a genuine elder. After completely resolving his internal conflicts, Fu Xingchuan had asked Meng Huai face-to-face why she had concerns about him, who wasn’t her subordinate. Meng Huai simply smiled in response.

“Because you are talented—more talented than I was initially. And you have a good character; one day, you will become a responsible boss. Also…”

“What else?”

“I also have a younger brother living next door to me. We grew up together. I’ve been eating at his house for more than ten years. What do boys your age possibly mind? Don’t you think I don’t know?”

“Which family is he from?” Fu Xingchuan suddenly became cautious—someone who had known Meng Huai, a genius, from childhood couldn’t be too far behind.

Meng Huai burst into laughter and ruffled his dyed hair. “Hey, don’t believe that.”

Through their frequent interactions, Fu Xingchuan learned more or less about the mysterious “younger brother neighbor” from Meng Huai and roughly understood Meng Huai’s situation.

Meng Huai’s parents were Nightwalkers and died in a gray transaction. Meng Huai became an orphan at the age of four or five and lived with her slightly senile grandfather. Two teachers lived next door to them, and they started taking care of their unfortunate neighbors, sending them food every day—

“Xiao Li actually doesn’t appreciate our ancestral profession of ‘ghost and divinity’,” Meng Huai had said. “I guess he’ll become a professor or something in the future. He’s extremely rule-bound. When I initially went to their house for a meal, he would lock himself inside his room and not come out.”

“I came to Shian right after graduating from high school, and we even had an argument about it. That kid doesn’t even recognize Shian. He probably thinks that not going to college would lead to imprisonment. He even said that I will suffer sooner or later because I engage in feudal superstitions every day.”

To be honest, as soon as Fu Xingchuan heard that the younger brother was an “uninteresting ordinary person”, he lost interest.

Meng Huai had a keen eye for people. Seeing Fu Xingchuan’s lack of interest, she rarely mentioned this childhood friend and neighbor again. But even without mentioning him, the image of this person would occasionally flash through Meng Huai’s words.

For example, one day, Meng Huai suddenly had a bracelet on her hand that completely didn’t match her style.

“Oh, this? It’s a birthday gift from Xiao Li… I guess he was idle in college and decided to learn from others in giving gifts. You have no idea how grumpy he looked when he gave it to me, as if I owed him a great debt.”

“Love? Impossible. That guy is solely focused on academia. I also don’t have the conditions for love here. In our line of work, who knows, one day we might not even be around.”

But shortly after that, Meng Huai had a ring on her finger.

“Xiao Li’s parents had an accident. Uncle and Auntie are like half-parents to me. They don’t have much time left, and we want to put their minds at ease. This is just for show. After the act is over, I’ll return it to him.”

“But occasionally, I do think that marrying Xiao Li wouldn’t be bad at all.”

When this extravagant genius uttered the word “marriage” for the first time, Fu Xingchuan was startled. Unable to resist, he asked, “Why?”

“Because even if I die one day, my brother Xiao Li won’t be heartbroken. You haven’t met him; his only hobby is skipping grades, and he has a face that wants to be dedicated to academia for a lifetime.” Meng Huai made a funny face. “And maybe I like him a little bit.”

“You can confess your feelings.” Fu Xingchuan offered sincere advice as someone who was still single.

“No, that won’t do. That guy takes everything seriously. I won’t bring harm to him. What if I die early for real?”

“Um, Meng Jie, you keep mentioning ‘death’ a lot…”

“…Fu Xingchuan, I know you want to climb up. Avoiding this matter is useless. On the contrary, you must firmly remember this fact.”

In Fu Xingchuan’s impression, it was the first time he had seen Meng Huai with such a serious expression.

“With your abilities, you can completely choose an easier path. The high positions in Shian are not trophies for you to prove yourself… Death is not as simple as you think.”

At that time, Fu Xingchuan only considered it as a general statement. Haigu had good public security and a peaceful atmosphere. During the night, there were only some ordinary evil creatures wandering around, causing minor disturbances. The six Evil Spirits had been sealed for a thousand years. Even if there were one or two accidents, how severe could they be?

He didn’t expect at that time that it would be the last time he saw Meng Huai.

The day after that conversation ended, the “Divine Descent” that hadn’t occurred for a thousand years appeared once again.

And on the two-hundredth day after that conversation ended, he met the “Xiao Li” mentioned by Meng Huai.

That young man had a proper appearance but a face devoid of expression, like facial paralysis. He was dressed in a suit, with even the top button of his shirt buttoned up, resembling a real estate agent.

“Li Nian, double major in history and folklore at B University, still studying,” the person said, extending his hand to the leader of the previous C-level investigation team. “Please take care of me in the future.”

Fu Xingchuan stood several steps away. The sunlight shining on the young man who called himself “Li Nian” reflected a dazzling light.

In a daze, that glimmer of light coincided with the reflection of the ring under it. Fu Xingchuan woke up from his memories, finishing the last sip of beer. Li Nian had already started tidying up the table, still maintaining that indifferent appearance as if the sky could collapse and it wouldn’t matter.

At a glance, this person really hadn’t changed at all.

If Meng Huai really married this guy, he had no idea what kind of life they would have together.

Unfortunately, Meng Huai made him think it through, and she herself was no different. She could command ghosts and control corpses, and she had the awareness. But if she chose a different path, such as becoming a detective, it would be safer than being in Shian after all…

Detective…

A wave of sweat broke out, and the alcohol in the beer completely lost its effect. Fu Xingchuan immediately took out his tablet and quickly browsed through the missing persons files from twenty-eight years ago.

Names, genders, ages, past occupations, level of involvement in metaphysical matters…

As he looked through the information, Fu Xingchuan wiped the sweat off his face.

With one hand scrolling through the screen, he took out his phone with the other hand and dialed Yin Ren’s number directly.

……

When Yin Ren was awakened by Fu Xingchuan’s call, he felt a sense of desolation in his heart.

He had just fallen asleep with Zhong Chengshuo, and the bed was still not warm when they were abruptly awakened by the intrusive ringing. To make matters worse, Zhong Chengshuo, who had only just fallen asleep, was now wide awake with a head full of question marks.

Looking at his disoriented and sleepy lover, Yin Ren hugged him by the neck and answered the phone with a hint of killing intent.

“Mr. Fu Xingchuan, you better have an explanation for this.”

Lord Ghost King spoke in a cold tone.

“I rarely work overtime voluntarily, and we had just fallen asleep. If this isn’t urgent, I’ll demand overtime pay from Li Nian tomorrow.”

“It’s about personality.”

Fu Xingchuan said, and Zhong Chengshuo tilted his head, leaning in to listen.

“…What?” Yin Ren didn’t understand for a moment.

“Whether it’s twenty-eight years ago or the ‘corruption material obtained from Old Dog Peng’s place’ that you reported tonight. Not everyone who comes into contact with Evil Force corruption will go missing. Among the missing persons, there must be some commonality.”

“I have also studied every missing person’s case from twenty-eight years ago when I was the department head… Broadly speaking, the missing persons varied in gender, age, occupation, and beliefs. At that time, we never found a common thread among the missing people.”

Yin Ren became completely awake. He let go of Zhong Chengshuo and switched the call to speakerphone.

“Go on.”

“I know Meng Huai, and you know Zhong Chengfeng’s situation. I have a vague understanding of He Huan’s condition from Lu Xiaohe. It’s difficult to obtain this kind of information from unfamiliar missing people. Considering the current situation… their commonality might be their ‘personality’.”

Fu Xingchuan repeated it once more.

“At that time, there were also two elderly people missing from the nursing home. One of them was a highly respected retired teacher, and the other was unemployed but known for their kindness.”

“Among the missing people at that time, volunteers, doctors, teachers, and other professionals accounted for a high percentage. I know it’s ridiculous to judge people’s morals based on their occupation, but they can indeed reflect some traits of the missing people. When analyzing the source of the Evil Force corruption, you can consider it from this perspective.”

Yin Ren became fully awake. He got out of bed and sat up straight.

“I understand, thank you.” Yin Ren said solemnly, “I will consider it.”

With that said, he attempted to get out of bed and continue his research in the middle of the night. However, as Yin Ren approached the edge of the bed, he felt a warm resistance against his abdomen—Zhong Chengshuo extended his arms and hugged Yin Ren’s waist.

Encountering such clinginess from King Yama, Yin Ren didn’t know if he was more surprised or frightened.

“W-What’s wrong with you?” Yin Ren tried his best to remain calm.

“Just wait for me.”

Zhong Chengshuo buried his face against Yin Ren’s back, and the fluffy edge of his nightcap brushed against Yin Ren’s skin.

“I want to go too…”

“I’m researching the nature of the Evil Force, so you won’t be able to help.” Yin Ren tried to pry Zhong Chengshuo’s hands apart. “Our physical conditions are different, so it’s better for you to get enough sleep.”

“Human personality is closely related to the brain and its physical structure.”

Zhong Chengshuo was now fully awake. He finally released his grip on Yin Ren’s waist, and his speech became clearer.

“I happen to have data in this regard.”

“Then you can send it to me, and we can discuss it tomorrow…”

“No, the data isn’t here. We need to go to my base, and we can only do it now.”

Zhong Chengshuo rubbed his eyes and took off his nightcap.

“After catching so many serial killers, what have I done to them… Yin Ren, haven’t you been curious about it at all?”

Yin Ren slowly turned his head. In the darkness, Zhong Chengshuo’s eyes were pitch black and lifeless, like two perfect circles cut out of black paper.

“In my base, there are more than just specimens of evil beings.”

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 186: Beasts in the Same Cage

“The wooden rabbit talisman will be delivered to Shian tomorrow afternoon.”

The moment Yin Ren arrived home, he immediately lunged towards the sofa. Although the Lord Ghost King had already completely moved his lair into Zhong Chengshuo’s bedroom, Yin Ren couldn’t sever his deep attachment to the sofa.

“I still want to ponder over Lu Xiaohe’s mother’s case for a while. You go ahead and sleep, alright? I’ll take the opportunity to have a late-night snack.”

Yin Ren said, while his fingers had already swiped through a dozen delivery apps on his phone.

By the time Zhong Chengshuo came out after taking a shower, Yin Ren had already created a makeshift nest on the sofa. With one hand holding the wooden rabbit talisman and the other writing and drawing on a tablet. His black hair cascaded to the floor, and the semi-transparent wings at the ends of his hair twitched restlessly.

Yin Ren furrowed his brows, completely absorbed and focused, unlike his usual demeanor.

Noticing Zhong Chengshuo standing nearby, gazing intently, Yin Ren’s brows relaxed in an instant. He curved his eyes and eyebrows, and a particularly soft wing ball dove into Zhong Chengshuo’s embrace.

“What time is it? Sleep soon.” The wing ball squirmed in Zhong Chengshuo’s arms.

“In terms of metaphysical research, I really can’t be of much help.” Zhong Chengshuo hugged the wing ball, which was the size of a throw pillow, tightly. “Remember to go to bed early.”

“Close the door. I might make some noise later!” Yin Ren waved his hand towards Zhong Chengshuo.

Zhong Chengshuo stayed behind the crack of the door and slowly closed it. The light in the living room turned into a narrow beam of orange, gradually narrowing on his face. Finally, the bedroom door closed completely, and the last trace of light vanished.

Zhong Chengshuo held the “connected by a thread” wing ball and obediently lay on his side. Yin Ren’s bedding was right beside him, emitting the familiar and pleasant scent unique to Yin Ren.

Zhong Chengshuo buried his face in the warm wing ball and let out a long sigh.

He had taken a shower, blow-dried his hair, wore clean pajamas, and his nightcap was in the perfect position. The bedding was soft, and the sheets and covers were clean, carrying the scent of sun-dried freshness. The room temperature was just right, and he would quickly fall asleep… or so he thought.

Yin Ren wasn’t there, and the mattress felt completely different. The absence of that weight prevented him from finding peace—Yin Ren was still awake, and the thread between them was taut in his heart, leaving him restless.

Zhong Chengshuo buried himself in the wing ball for a while. Then, he silently got up and slowly opened the bedroom door once again.

“Squeak!”

…He had almost forgotten how loud that creaking sound of the door was!

Zhong Chengshuo made an effort to be as quiet as possible, accompanied by the slow opening sound typical of horror movies, as he slowly stuck his head out.

The living room was warmly lit, and the cool autumn breeze gently swayed the curtains. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the night sky was sparkling, and the piercing sound of sirens could be heard in the distance.

The tablet was covered with unfamiliar characters, and the wooden rabbit talisman was being examined by this person. Yin Ren was half-sunken on the sofa, in a casual posture, his usual laziness transformed into a kind of antiquity.

Zhong Chengshuo stared fixedly, feeling a warm and comfortable sensation in his chest.

“Hey, why are you still awake?” Yin Ren, with a mouthful of dried squid, turned his head in surprise. “Feeling thirsty? I just heated a cup of milk in the microwave, you can have it.”

“Dog Thing.” Zhong Chengshuo cleared his throat. “I had some thoughts just now and need to verify them using it.”

“Oh, sure, take it.” Yin Ren readily tossed his phone. “The unlock password is your birthday. Do whatever you want… Aren’t you going to have some warm milk?”

“I will.” Zhong Chengshuo said solemnly, squeezing out of the door, with one arm still holding the wing ball tightly.

After the bedroom door closed again, Zhong Chengshuo turned on the desk lamp and sat down at the bedroom table. The hot milk was poured into a ceramic cup, emitting a faint and comforting aroma.

Dog Thing sat silently under the lamp, and the hanging Yellow Millet pendant was dozing off, making a puffing sound. Zhong Chengshuo also took out the hamster pendant that Yin Ren had given him and placed it next to Dog Thing.

Now he only had the spare phone that belonged to King Yama, unable to log in to any account related to Zhong Chengshuo. With regards to contacting his parents, Shian was probably executing his “afterlife plans” he had designed, automatically answering them.

Only this small hamster pendant returned to his hand, while its matching partner had already turned to dust.

Zhong Chengshuo poked the little hamster, pondered for a few minutes, and opened Yin Ren’s phone, purposefully navigating to “Coffin Nails”.

[Yin Ren: You two are older and have been married. I have something I need to ask for advice on. @Hu Tao @Lu Tanfei]

[Lu Tanfei: Please speak.]

[Hu Tao: Why do you sound strange today?]

[Hu Tao: Well, as long as it’s not work-related. Recently, our Xiao Yin has grown up, and he knows not to rely on his sister anymore. Please continue to maintain that~] From the tone, that fierce ghost was probably not nearby.

Zhong Chengshuo paused his fingertips on the keyboard for a moment and decided to follow the lead.

[Yin Ren: Our token of love from before got broken, and I want to replace it. Do you two have any relevant experience?]

[Hu Tao: …Hehe.]

[Yin Ren: Relevant experience?]

[Lu Tanfei: You can buy a couple of high-quality pens.]

The old man answered properly, but Zhong Chengshuo took a moment to consider Yin Ren’s personality—that guy was never interested in such things and would inevitably need a notebook along with a pen. He might not use it for eight hundred years. This answer was more suitable for himself than Yin Ren.

[Hu Tao: What was it before? Just get a new one.]

Zhong Chengshuo looked at the lonely hamster. Its two black bean-like eyes shimmered with a soft reflection.

[Yin Ren: Strictly speaking, it’s not appropriate. Hamsters are solitary animals.]

[Hu Tao: Are you lecturing me about science? Don’t tell me it’s about those hamster pendants. They’re not even real hamsters!]

[Yin Ren: Not suitable.]

Zhong Chengshuo insisted on his point of view.

Hamsters had a strong territorial instinct and were highly intolerant of other individuals entering their territory, except during brief periods of mating when they allowed the opposite sex to approach. If they were kept together for a long time, the dominant one may even kill and eat the weaker one. He didn’t mind it before, but now he just didn’t want to use such an inappropriate “token of love” symbol.

Wait, the inherent characteristics of biological species… dominance and submission…

Zhong Chengshuo ignored Miss Hu Tao, who was still discussing love experiences, and directly exited Coffin Nails, waking up Siren. When they were in the Archive, this thing even negotiated conditions with Yin Ren and said it wanted to eat the “weak”.

[Regarding your memories, Yin Ren told me about them. I have a question—why do you seem to derive energy from emotions and yet consume other entities?]

[Because of hunger.]

Faced with two large entities of unknown origin, Dog Thing wished it could tuck its non-existent tail between its legs.

[For example, me. My species enjoys feeding on the “anxiety” emotion, which contains elements of “worry”. So, we can also prey on groups that feed on “worry” and indirectly satisfy our hunger by utilizing the “worry” within them.]

Zhong Chengshuo stared at the line of gray-white text.

Anxiety, shame, worry… These subtle emotions were composed of countless basic emotions, similar to the vibrant colors formed by the combination of primary colors.

With this in mind, the simpler and more primal the corresponding emotions of an Elemental, the more sources of energy it had in this world, and the broader the “menu of prey” on the Other Side… In other words, such entities were closer to the top of the Elemental food chain.

He contemplated for a moment: [Twenty-eight years ago, you witnessed the true Elemental form of Mr. Qiu. Were there many entities belonging to his species on the other side?]

[No, I only heard about that one. It represents “Disgust”.] Dog Thing, in low battery mode, trembled as it answered. [I obtained relevant information, and it is said that only when it dies can a new “Disgust” be born.]

[After all, it was too powerful. It could satisfy its hunger solely through emotions. If there were more of them, it would devour all of us.]

Zhong Chengshuo remained silent as the hot milk by his side quietly cooled, forming a layer of milk skin on its surface.

Perhaps they were overthinking the Primordial Elementals. If they simply regarded these Elementals as a type of unique creature, the existing phenomena could also be explained.

The predators at the top of the food chain, like tigers…

…They could clearly discern the distinct taste of their own kind. Just as he could detect the unique scent on Yin Ren’s body.

As long as they existed, they would suppress the appearance of “the one and only” creature of their kind, akin to a queen bee.

…Their presence alone would suppress the appearance of their own kind, and once they encountered each other, it would be a struggle for survival unless one party was already on the brink of death. This sense of exclusion and crisis seemed to be ingrained in their instincts.

Just as every time they touched, a shiver would pass between their skins.

According to the analysis report from Shian, he and Yin Ren were of the same kind. Now it seemed that they might be each other’s only kind—some kind of apex predator positioned high in the food chain, mutually repelling each other.

He had assimilated into the human body and “disappeared” from the world. Yin Ren was born as a cub… No wonder, back then, when he curled up with Yin Ren’s bones to sleep, the bones remained still.

However, with this “queen bee” still in existence, Yin Ren’s growth had been suppressed.

Zhong Chengshuo lowered his gaze, placing the soft bundle of wings on his chest. The gentle, small wings fluttered lightly. He placed the bundle of wings on the table, allowing them to spread open slightly, revealing a sense of laziness.

There could only be one king on a mountain, one king visible at a time. Humans understood this principle thousands of years ago.

If it were himself from thousands of years ago, without the capacity for thought, he would certainly have fought Yin Ren on instinct. But now… Outside, there were billions of humans waking up early every day for work. Going against biological instincts was something Zhong Chengshuo had long grown accustomed to.

He held the cup of milk in both hands, sipping it slowly, and decided to continue studying the most important question at hand.

[I understand.] Finishing the milk, Zhong Chengshuo typed with a serious expression. [Help me check Yin Ren’s Taobao’s shopping cart. I need some references.]

At three in the morning, Yin Ren stretched lazily and put away the wooden talisman with the rabbit carving.

He tiptoed back to the bedroom, remembering to apply a soundproofing spell to the door hinge in advance. There was no light in the bedroom. Zhong Chengshuo was curled up in bed like a lump, as if asleep.

Lord Ghost King had almost coordinated every muscle in his body, striving to slip back into bed as lightly as a cloud. Little did he expect when he was about to use all eighteen martial arts skills that were put to battle to silently reach for the pillow—

Zhong Chengshuo swiftly turned over. His dark eyes locked onto Yin Ren, quickly shifting closer to him.

“…Did I wake you up?”

“I haven’t been able to sleep.”

“So, you just watched me exert all my effort in silence?!” Yin Ren’s smile froze on his lips, causing even the bundle of wings in Zhong Chengshuo’s arms to tremble.

“Because it was interesting. I’ve never seen it before.” Zhong Chengshuo adjusted the covers and spoke honestly.

“Fine, you’re impressive… Anyway, go to sleep earlier. It’s already so late. Be careful not to get insufficient sleep.” Yin Ren flicked the pom-pom on Zhong Chengshuo’s nightcap.

“…Yin Ren.”

“Hm?”

“I still don’t know what I am now. If I were to pose a threat to your existence, how would you feel?” Zhong Chengshuo tugged at the covers, leaving only a pair of serious eyes exposed.

“Well… I have no thoughts on that.” Lord Ghost King also burrowed into the covers. “I know you won’t die in just a hundred years, and that’s enough for me. As for the rest, we’ll deal with it when the time comes. So, are you going to argue with me over the five million in your dream?”

“But what if the five million is real?”

“Then let’s settle for 250 each.” Yin Ren chuckled. “When the road comes to an end, it’s fine to stop here. We have the present, and we can leave future matters to our future selves.”

He reached out his hand from under the blanket and patted Zhong Chengshuo.

Zhong Chengshuo also extended his arm and held Yin Ren’s hand tightly. “I understand.”

“Haa, it would be nice if we really had five million.” Yin Ren murmured a few times. As he always did, he leaned forward to rest his forehead against Zhong Chengshuo’s forehead. Zhong Chengshuo, however, didn’t immediately close his eyes. He gazed at his lover in the darkness, and his gaze softened.

Indeed, Yin Ren didn’t care either.

If two fierce beasts were in the same cage, they might fight to the death. But they weren’t wild animals; they were… “human” in a certain sense.

He would continue to think about what to do with the symbol of their love. Tomorrow, he would go to his parents’ house to bring some fruits and could ask them in passing…

Amidst the jumble of daily thoughts, Zhong Chengshuo quickly fell into a deep sleep.

……

In the center of Haigu.

“I thought the effect would be more significant. After all the trouble you went through, it’s just a few missing people and a few injured cases.”

Shen Mo sat on the edge of the rooftop, listening to the piercing sound of police sirens below.

“Twenty-eight years ago, the scene was like the end of the world, much grander than this. Your cooperation doesn’t seem very dedicated.”

Behind him stood a man dressed in a dark blue gown, resembling a comic actor. The man, Mr. Le, wore a face of exhaustion and replied to Shen Mo in silence.

“Why don’t you say anything? It’s not our fault that we can’t reach Mr. Qiu… To put it bluntly, those sources of corruption should have been altered according to Mr. Qiu’s power characteristics. Now, it’s been temporarily taken over by you, brother. Could it be that you’re incapable?”

“Mr. Qiu’s own combat ability is average, but he is indeed skilled at stirring up conflicts. I don’t want to continue with this job either.” Mr. Le finally sighed and spoke. “But young man, what you just said is also not quite right.”

“Oh?”

“The sudden outbreak of disaster—once it’s over, people will soon forget about it,” Mr. Le continued with his bitter and flat tone. “If you want to achieve lasting effects, you have to start with small things…”

“An unemployed man stabbing an unfamiliar female white-collar worker on the subway during rush hour.”

“Several students abusing an elderly scrap collector to death.”

“An unknown suspect poisoning the ice cream machine at a mall.”

Mr. Le counted on his fingers, and a meaningful smile appeared on his weak face.

“If you ask me, those few cases of injuries had an incredibly good effect. As a starting point, it’s really… very appropriate.”

---

The author has something to say:

Cats and rabbits in the same cage (not really)

Xiao Zhong: Maybe we’re natural enemies, but it doesn’t matter.

Xiao Yin: That’s true. (Starts daydreaming about five million)

---

Kinky Thoughts:

Just for some clarity, the Primordial Elementals are not like nature “elements” (like earth, fire, water, ect.).

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 185: Satisfaction

Upon hearing the scream, Lao Jiang’s face trembled, and he rushed faster than Yin Ren himself. The road in front of the Ghost Pawnshop was also considered his territory, and causing trouble in the Ghost Market was already a violation of the rules. Causing trouble at the doorstep of the Ghost Pawnshop was even more of a slap in his face.

Yin Ren had cleared most of the divination traces, leaving only a black line as a guide, and he almost flew out of the door. He saw Lao Jiang’s eyes glowing red with his mouth wide open, almost tearing his face apart. His poisonous teeth were pressing against the neck of a burly man, whose hands were covered in blood, struggling in pain—his arm was unnaturally bent, bones piercing through the skin, bloody and protruding.

A few steps away lay a peculiar child with facial features growing out of the top of his head. His neck was now softly broken, bleeding from seven orifices. The face that was originally on top of his head was now facing forward, resembling somewhat of a “normal person”.

The deformed child had soiled himself and his body was stiff, devoid of life. It seemed that there were no adults accompanying him. The remaining customers of the Ghost Pawnshop had gathered in their original places, whispering among themselves, their voices echoing between the lantern walls.

Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo exchanged glances.

“Shian Special Investigation Unit 9.” Yin Ren presented his work ID, clarifying his identity, and then he quickly formed a seal. Suddenly, sand and gravel rose, enveloping the man like a beggar, rendering him immobile.

On the other side, Zhong Chengshuo reflexively dialed 110.

As soon as the Shian team arrived, Lao Jiang had to retract his teeth. He looked at the burly man with a resentful gaze. Yin Ren had no doubt that if Shian hadn’t been present, the situation with the burly man would have been “internally digested” in a physical sense.

“Daring to disrupt the rules in front of my door.” Even after the burly man was captured by the arriving Shian personnel, Lao Jiang’s copper-colored fangs were still visible, muttering incessantly. “Those who break the rules must die…”

His mouth, which was stretched beyond its limits, hadn’t completely closed, and his entire skull seemed to have cracked open from the back. Thin strands of sticky mucus hung between the filthy teeth of the zombie, and yellow-green gas occasionally sprayed out from its mouth.

Shian completely subdued the man, but Lao Jiang still stared fiercely at the burly man; the red light in his eyes growing stronger. He didn’t hide his murderous intent and malice. At first glance, it was no different from an ordinary, mindless evil creature.

“Must die, must die, must die…”

Zhong Chengshuo turned his dark eyes towards the muttering Lao Jiang. Lao Jiang still remembered the sense of crisis this face brought, and despite his strange state, he reflexively protected his chest.

This movement seemed to wake him up, as Lao Jiang immediately coughed twice, finally returning to a somewhat normal state.

The murderous intent and malice diminished instantly. Zhong Chengshuo withdrew his gaze and continued observing the burly man who had killed someone.

“What did I do wrong?”

As he was being pulled away, the veins on the burly man’s neck bulged, and he roared in confusion.

“That kid has a face on top of his head. It’s really unsettling to look at. I just wanted to set him straight! Can’t you people from Shian handle things properly? I did it for everyone’s comfort. What did I do wrong? Ah?”

“You’re treating my good intentions like donkey liver! You claim to be good people, but when I do a good deed, I won’t be rewarded!”

Yin Ren frowned slightly as he watched the struggling figure of the burly man.

This person didn’t seem to have much ability, and his previous words seemed genuine, although lacking coherence. Besides that, the burly man was almost indistinguishable from the other people present.

On the other hand, this person had no connection to his divination black line, and there were no traces of special magic on him. The Ghost Market indeed had its fair share of odd people, but could he simply be a regular lunatic? The timing of this disturbance was also too coincidental.

But if this person had ulterior motives and killed an oddity with no background, what benefits would there be?

Swish.

Upon hearing a sound behind him, Yin Ren turned around and saw Huang Jin with a look of disdain, taking two steps back.

“What’s wrong with you?” Ge Tingting was puzzled.

“Thoughts.” Huang Jin covered his mouth, his complexion turning slightly bluish. “Everyone around is thinking about this matter, and they’re getting a bit panicked. The number of thoughts is increasing rapidly.”

In the world unseen by others, Huang Jin was almost overwhelmed by the surging tide of thoughts. Anyone would need a break when there was a lunatic capable of taking lives walking beside them. Even though there weren’t many people in front of the Ghost Pawnshop, these rapidly multiplying thoughts of panic were quite troublesome.

Yin Ren looked in the direction where the burly man had disappeared for a while and said, “Let’s keep our distance for now and continue the investigation. Boss Jiang, can we trust your words?”

This old thing couldn’t help but be sarcastic during his divination, and Yin Ren remembered it quite clearly.

“Well…” Lao Jiang, who had regained his composure, touched his withered cheek. “I did say I’d accompany you to the end, but that doesn’t mean I have to follow your every move. You see, I have a business to run, and you don’t need this old skeleton every day, do you?”

He took out an e-cigarette, adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, and was completely different from the terrifying monster he had shown just now.

“I was just joking with you.” Yin Ren seized the opportunity. “I only have one question, and I hope you answer honestly.”

“I will speak the truth.”

Although his mouth said that, Lao Jiang deliberately adjusted his posture and assumed his usual defensive stance.

“Compared to usual, was the murderous intent you had towards that person different?” Yin Ren asked straightforwardly. “I’ve also broken the rules in front of you before, but you didn’t… act so directly.”

Lao Jiang glanced at the black divination line on the ground and then looked at the Yellow Millet pendant hanging from Yin Ren’s phone. In the end, he took a puff of his e-cigarette and leisurely walked towards a corner of the wall. Yin Ren understood and followed, completely distancing themselves from the crowd still discussing the situation.

“I don’t like owing anyone favors. This time, I’ll speak the truth, and from now on, we won’t owe each other anything. Whatever promise I made to you is also null and void.”

Lao Jiang reverted back to his polite tone, but there was no sincerity in it. He elongated his speech, and the smoothness between his words made people feel uncomfortable.

“To be honest, it’s nothing. I’ve never liked people who break the rules—businessmen don’t like those who slap their faces in front of them. That kid earlier stained my doorstep with blood, and I got carried away in the heat of the moment…”

“You don’t have the physiological condition to get carried away.” Zhong Chengshuo muttered towards the desiccated and shriveled zombie.

Lao Jiang replied, “It was just a surge of anger overwhelming me for a brief moment…”

“You were in an abnormal state for a staggering 23 seconds,” Zhong Chengshuo continued to mutter quietly.

Lao Jiang slowly turned his head. “All of you Shian people are here, and I was already nervous and under a lot of pressure. Everyone has moments of losing control. Honestly speaking, I was genuinely angry for a split second, thinking of biting open that person’s windpipe. That’s when I felt satisfied in my heart.”

“Really, it was like that. I admit that I’m usually not so easily angered. Today, I may have lost control a bit. Don’t take it to heart, everyone.”

After saying that, Lao Jiang deliberately moved away from Zhong Chengshuo.

Despite the tense situation, Yin Ren almost burst out laughing, but he managed to hold it back and just squeeze Zhong Chengshuo’s hand. Lao Jiang was a slick corpse and had been mingling in this Ghost Market for hundreds of years. Even if he noticed something off about himself, he was reluctant to admit it directly in front of Shian personnel.

On the other hand, Zhong Chengshuo seemed to want to express something, scratching and clawing at Yin Ren’s palm. Yin Ren understood and purposely adjusted his stance, blocking the view of Huang Jin and Ge Tingting, then leaned closer to listen.

“…Did you say that biting and killing that man would bring you satisfaction?”

After listening to Zhong Chengshuo’s muttering, Yin Ren raised his voice.

“Hey, are you really going to harp on this? To put it bluntly, even though I’m an evil creature, I didn’t actually harm anyone, and you have no reason to investigate whether I did or not, do you?”

“It’s not about assigning blame; just a simple inquiry—did the satisfaction you mentioned earlier come from ‘killing him’?”

Lao Jiang quietly patted his chest to confirm all the conversations had been recorded, and then he answered “yes” in a low voice.

Ge Tingting looked at Lao Jiang and then at Yin Ren, seemingly realizing something. She took out her phone and quickly typed a line of notes.

[Investigating the Ghost Market at night. Someone was killed in front of the Ghost Pawnshop in the early hours. Lao Jiang, the owner of the Ghost Pawnshop, showed obvious murderous intent but didn’t cause any clear harm.]

[Their motives seem to be related to finding ‘satisfaction’ in their actions.]

……

At the end of the black line, there was a small stall on the main street of the Ghost Market. The stall’s owner was also a familiar headache.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Xiao Yin and Xiao Zhong!” Old Dog Peng had a smile on his face as he poked his white- and sparsely-haired head out from behind the door. His neck was adorned with two payment QR code cards that swayed with his movements.

The divination black line, concealed by the night, led straight to this person’s stall.

This time, Old Dog Peng’s stall still had a red lantern hanging. However, he had set up a ground stall, neatly displaying a variety of small items, not much different from the other stalls around.

As soon as Ge Tingting saw someone related to Lu Xiaohe’s mother’s disappearance, she wanted to rush over, but Yin Ren held her back with one hand.

The seriousness on Yin Ren’s face disappeared in an instant, and for that moment, he reverted back to the carefree and relaxed appearance he had when he first joined Shian.

“Master Peng, it’s good to see you. We happen to be nearby for some business, and I even made a bet with Chengshuo that this stall must be yours.”

“Good eyesight.” Old Dog Peng’s old face, along with his facial sores, smiled. “How about taking care of our business?”

With that, he straightened his chest like a dried duck, exuding a strong aura as a “Shian insider”, and even the few strands of hair on his head seemed to shine a bit.

“Of course, we’ll take care of it. Any new arrivals?” Yin Ren replied with a smile.

“From the Ghost Pawnshop. They’re all good stuff,” Old Dog Peng said mysteriously. “We’re old acquaintances, so I won’t hide it from you. Have you heard of Pinduoduo*? There might be some top-quality treasures hidden among the miscellaneous goods. It all depends on your eyesight and luck.”

*Chinese online retailer with a focus on traditional agriculture industry. It’s an e-commerce platform that connects farmers with consumers directly.

Yin Ren’s gaze quickly scanned over the assorted items on the red cloth.

Old Dog Peng’s stall had just been set up, and the folds on the red cloth were very distinct.

Yin Ren was certain that over ninety percent of the goods on the red cloth came from Pinduoduo, with outrageously high price tags that followed the pattern of “construction workers finding relics at construction sites”. About ten percent were likely genuine spirit weapons of worrying quality—behind them, Huang Jin’s eyes nearly rolled up to the sky.

At the end of the black divination line, it pointed directly to something.

It was a roughly carved wooden talisman in the shape of a cartoon rabbit. This image should have appeared clumsy and warm, but the rabbit’s dark eyes reflected a dim light, and a hint of cold and sinister aura quietly lingered on the wooden talisman.

There was a faint evil qi that was similar to that on the protective charm.

Yin Ren casually picked up the wooden rabbit talisman, ignoring the price tag of 668 yuan below it. “64 and 8 yuan*, sell it or not? My partner likes this kind of thing, so this is to make him happy.”

*Clarity: The item was originally listed at 668 yuan. 668 is considered an auspicious number in Chinese culture. Yin Ren changed the price to 64 + 8 Yuan (instead of 648). While 6 and 8 are auspicious numbers, 4 is actually considered an unlucky number, so in total, Yin Ren is paying only 72 yuan.

Old Dog Peng’s expression instantly turned as if he had been punched. After a while, he coughed twice. “A special discounted price, take it if you like.”

“Haa, it hasn’t been peaceful these days. Someone just died in front of the Ghost Pawnshop, so the workload has increased again.”

Yin Ren casually placed the wooden talisman in its proper position, speaking in a conversational tone.

“Haha, I saw it!”

Old Dog Peng laughed again, but this time his smile was overly bright. His toothless mouth stretched wide, revealing darkness within.

“I was at the scene when that guy strangled the child. Unfortunately, I was too far away to see clearly. You know, it’s been a while since something like this happened in the Ghost Market.”

“But, don’t tell anyone. Occasionally having something like this happen is quite exciting.”

He said with a laugh.

“It’s truly satisfying.”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 184: Divination

“Meng Huai and Zhong Chengfeng went missing on July 15th, 20xx. The disappearance occurred near the Aixin Nursing Home in the Xizhao District. Following the large-scale phenomenon, the Aixin Nursing Home was one of the most heavily corrupted locations from Evil Force.”

Lu Xiaohuo pulled up several old photos. The nursing home in the pictures had an ordinary appearance with average greenery, leaving little impression at first glance.

“According to the testimonies of the on-site personnel from the company, during the phenomenon, a group of evil spirits attacked the nursing home. Elderly individuals with limited mobility were huddled by the windows, calling for help. Meng Huai was the first to rush in and drive away the spirits, while detective Zhong Chengfeng happened to be nearby on a mission and joined in to assist…”

Yin Ren read the words on the screen carefully. The case of the disappearance, which had been sealed for twenty-eight years, was only briefly recorded at the time.

Dealing with a mere group of evil spirits was a piece of cake for Meng Huai. It wouldn’t have taken her more than five minutes. Her science partner was busy directing outside and didn’t follow inside.

However, Meng Huai never returned.

There were no peculiar phenomena or sounds, no magical spells, or fluctuations of evil qi. Everything was simple, except for the sudden loss of communication. The channel was filled with nothing but static.

Upon discovering Meng Huai’s disappearance, Shian rushed into the Aixin Nursing Home within two minutes. The corruption of the Evil Force made the air unusually cold and murky. The evil spirits continued to rampage in the corridors, and the elderly individuals calling for help remained, but Meng Huai and the brave policewoman who rushed in were gone.

During the sudden phenomenon that year, Shian had deployed almost all its forces to deal with the corruption. Many employees died due to their inability to withstand the corruption or were killed by the deranged spirits. There were also many cases of disappearances. However, everyone knew that “disappearance due to the inability to find a body” and “vanishing in a relatively stable environment” were completely different matters.

On that day, explosions and chaos plagued Haigu, with rampant fires and deranged individuals running amok. In the public eye, the disappearance of Meng Huai and Zhong Chengfeng was categorized as “no bodies found”.

But internally within the company, it was clear that things weren’t so simple.

“The characteristics of the Evil Force traces in the area where they went missing are highly consistent with the scene of He Huan’s disappearance. However, considering the time span, I suggest merging the cases of Meng Huai and Zhong Chengfeng’s disappearance as the ‘Nursery Home Disappearance Case’, while investigating He Huan’s disappearance separately. He Huan’s case involves a corrupted jade pendant, which is inconsistent with the characteristics of the Nursery Home Disappearance Case. Moreover, He Huan… Her disappearance has not yet reached the critical period, so there is still a possibility of survival.”

Lu Xiaohe grabbed the water cup on the table and forced herself to take a sip.

“For the Nursery Home Disappearance Case, I will coordinate with Shian to gather more information. As for the investigation into He Huan’s disappearance… No, please handle that separately.”

……

“Is it okay to leave Xiaohe Jie alone?” Ge Tingting was wearing a cartoon dog mask, and her AI voice was tinged with concern.

“That’s her choice. It’s better not to bother her.” Huang Jin looked down at the ground with a paper bag on his head, punctured with two holes.

Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo, the life-size flesh puppet, walked ahead of the two; their footsteps echoing on the stone-paved road. The doors and windows of the old houses on both sides were like black holes, while green and red lanterns flickered at the doorsteps.

The four of them were walking through the street of the Ghost Market.

Having witnessed the destruction of Yin Village in the world of memories, the group couldn’t help but show a complicated expression as they looked at the lanterns emitting a hazy glow. The lanterns that had once been used to make different wishes to the Great Celestial Master were now filled with the atmosphere of fireworks and had become an interesting custom talked about in the world of the metaphysical circle. And the Great Celestial Master himself was walking ahead, not looking sideways, with one hand tightly holding the puppet of his deceased boyfriend.

…This scene was difficult to evaluate for a moment. Huang Jin shifted his gaze away from the intertwined fingers of the two.

Yin Ren held tightly onto his phone with the other hand, and the colorful little ball on the phone bounced around playfully, occasionally making a puffing sound. Now Huang Jin finally knew what that thing was—

He recognized Yellow Millet and wished he could forget. Everything in front of him seemed absurd, like a dream, making Huang Jin grumble inwardly.

Well, if the flesh puppet didn’t have the rolling thought of “holding hands like this feels good”, the absurdity of the scene might have been reduced. The problem was that, after leaving the world of memories, Fu Xingchuan didn’t explicitly mention what this flesh puppet was.

Since the big shot didn’t say anything, Huang Jin decided to be a good dead man and make it his mission not to offend that demonic puppet of the Great Celestial Master.

However, recently, he had been forgetting more and more that “Yin Ren is actually Zhong Yi, the Great Celestial Master”, and he couldn’t feel any sense of crisis, which was quite strange. Huang Jin shook his head, forcing himself to shift his attention.

At this time and place, the absurd cases within Shian felt like a dream. The Ghost Market was still lively, presenting an appearance of peace.

However, the purpose of their visit here could hardly be called peaceful.

Yin Ren walked firmly through the streets and only hesitated briefly in front of the stalls selling candied chestnuts and roasted sweet potatoes. Considering what happened with Lu Xiaohe’s mother, he ultimately refrained from doing anything unnecessary.

The team from Shian headed straight to the Ghost Pawnshop.

Strangely, even though it was during trading hours, there were significantly fewer customers in the alley of the pawnshop. The usually bustling streets now appeared sparsely populated, and the four of them effortlessly arrived at the entrance.

In front of the word “Pawnshop” written in black on a white background, the shop owner, Lao Jiang, greeted them with a formal bow while holding an e-cigarette. His withered flesh twisted into a smile as it moved aside—

In front of the pawnshop entrance, there was a small sign with garish text printed using a default template from PowerPoint that read, “Warmly welcoming the visit and guidance of Special Investigation Unit 9 of Shian”.

Yin Ren: “…” His facial muscles twitched.

No wonder there were so few customers at the pawnshop; it had an eerie atmosphere.

Unfortunately, with the matter concerning Lu Xiaohe’s mother at hand, Yin Ren had no mood to entertain the zombie. With a rare calm expression, he simply nodded and said, “We’re here. Sorry to bother you.”

Lao Jiang’s gaze went back and forth between Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo, making a cryptic sound. Then, he pushed up his wire-framed glasses and coughed solemnly. “What exactly is the matter? I’ve been informed—something about the disappearances of ordinary people caused by the goods we sell?”

“Speaking of which, we run our business here according to the rules.” He shook his head while making slightly dangerous creaking sounds with his neck. “Follow me, but let’s make it clear—I have a voice recording device in my chest pocket. It can serve as evidence later.”

Yin Ren didn’t waste time with unnecessary talk and entered the pawnshop first.

The familiar black wooden couplet remained unchanged, still bearing the simple words, “Love and hatred are nothing new; there are old friends in joys and sorrows”. Yin Ren’s gaze paused for a few seconds on the lower couplet before turning to Lao Jiang.

Lao Jiang had found a chair and was sitting with its back against the table. He crossed one leg and leisurely blew out smoke from his e-cigarette, not sparing a glance at Huang Jin and Ge Tingting; his gaze was fixed on Yin Ren.

“Interesting. It’s been a while, and you’ve become quite calm, kid.”

Yin Ren ignored the subtle flattery hidden in the zombie’s words. He simply took out the charm and placed it on the table. “Who provided this? Do you remember?”

Lao Jiang picked up the talisman with his sharp nails and sniffed it for a while. “Oh, I remember. I definitely remember. These are bulk goods, mixed in burlap sacks. The sellers claim they collected them from various spirit smiths, and there might be some good stuff inside—what we deal with here is this kind of uncertainty. Have you heard of blind boxes?”

“These things have been around for a long time and are considered low-level auction items. The buyers quickly classify the contents into different categories and resell them in the Ghost Market,” Zhong Chengshuo quietly explained.

As soon as he finished speaking, he realized that he had become the focus of everyone’s attention. He quickly adjusted his posture, and his tone became a bit stiff. “…Based on the keyword ‘blind box’, as recorded in the metaphysics database.”

Bathed in the suspicious gazes of his two teammates, Yin Ren calmly reached out and touched Zhong Chengshuo’s soft hair. “Very good.”

The two of them finally turned their gaze away.

“In short, that’s the situation.”

Lao Jiang pretended not to see the intimate actions of those two people. He straightened his chest, intending to push the recording phone in his chest forward.

“I have tested the qi strength of these things, and they are within a safe range. We are not responsible for the content of these mixed-up little things. Whether the person wearing this thing dies or disappears, we are not responsible at all.”

“Moreover, the craftsmanship of this sachet is quite ordinary, clearly mass-produced with a common style. It’s not worth much. If you want to trace the source, I advise you to give up that idea. Alright, I have cooperated. Can you gentlemen leave now?”

Lao Jiang finished his news-like report, stood up, and bid farewell politely.

Yin Ren didn’t move.

He snapped his fingers, and the pawnshop door closed. Then, ignoring Lao Jiang, he jumped onto the auction platform on his own.

“You sold this here yesterday, right?” Yin Ren asked Lao Jiang politely.

“Yes, so what?”

“Items made by a spirit smith naturally have spiritual qi that can be divined,” Yin Ren said. “Even if there are mixed qi and the source can’t be found, we can proceed step by step.”

Lao Jiang sneered.

The pawnshop had certainly considered the confidentiality related to the identity of the spirit smith. Not to mention that the smith himself would do some work to eliminate traces; any spirit weapons that passed through Lao Jiang’s hands had rolled in layers of irrelevant qi like muddy water. Even the previous miscellaneous “living artworks” required a great deal of effort for Shian to identify the suspect.

Speaking of which, this kid also meddled in the last case, but he didn’t seem so confident in divination back then. This person clearly didn’t look stupid—if the pawnshop couldn’t even protect the source and divination of the spirit weapons, who would dare to sell goods under Shian’s watchful eyes?

Young people were truly young. He was happy to see Yin Ren suffer a loss.

“Alright then, if you can divine up to three zhang* outside this door, I’ll accompany you to the end with these old bones of mine.” Seeing Yin Ren close his eyes and perform his spell on the stage, Lao Jiang said with “concern” in a timely manner.

*About 10 meters.

Just as Lao Jiang finished speaking, he was almost choked by the period.

A powerful evil qi rushed forth, and countless black threads emitting red light rose from under Yin Ren’s feet. They spread and gathered along the ground, radiating in all directions, with Yin Ren at the center.

Finally, a distinct “trace” appeared inside. The threads were more tightly intertwined here than anywhere else, extending rapidly towards outside of the pawnshop.

“There are people related over there,” Yin Ren said.

“You…” Lao Jiang stood frozen in place.

“I’m young, so I grow up fast.” Yin Ren spoke quickly. “Did you record the promise just now, Lao Jiang? Let’s go…”

Before Yin Ren could finish his sentence, a piercing scream came from the direction pointed by the black threads.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 183: Three People

Lu Xiaohe’s mother loved eating eggplants.

When Lu Xiaohe was young, her mother’s favorite saying was, “Eggplant stir-fry is better than meat.” At that time, her mother’s skill in cooking eggplant fried rice was extraordinary. The tender yet chewy eggplant mixed with the flavorful rice absorbed the juices, creating a wonderful texture and delicious taste. Steamed eggplant with garlic was also flavorful, and her mother called it “chicken leg”.

At that time, the family wasn’t well off. But looking back, Lu Xiaohe never felt that they were poor. Her childhood was frugal yet carefree.

She loved her home.

So Lu Xiaohe studied hard, aiming to get into the top university and pursue the best major, hoping that her parents could have carefree days in their later years.

Unfortunately, the road of scientific research was long, and she had not yet completed her studies when her mother fell ill unexpectedly. For a disabled researcher, Shian was the fastest way for her to obtain a large amount of funding legally… If it weren’t for this, she might have continued her research within the university and directly entered a reputable research institute.

Fate could be so ironic.

Amidst the rumbling sound of the range hood, Lu Xiaohe finished stir-frying the eggplants. “Dad, please serve the rice!”

Her father responded and entered the kitchen. Father and daughter tacitly prepared the meal. Lu Xiaohe carefully arranged the rice next to the stir-fried eggplants and placed it on a tray. She made a “V” shape with red chili peppers, admiring it happily, and poured a cup of grape infused water—her mother disliked drinking plain water, always complaining it tasted bitter.

With just a little bit of sugar, her mother would happily drink it.

“I’ll take it to Mom and keep her company for a while,” Lu Xiaohe said with a smile. “Dad, make sure you don’t finish all the dishes; leave some for me.”

“I can’t promise that.” By now, her father had already sat at the dining table, his face marked with many wrinkles, but filled with a smile.

Lu Xiaohe carried the tray, made a silly face at her father, and then used her shoulder to push open the door to the bedroom.

Her mother’s bedroom was separate, made spacious to bring her comfort. Despite being small, the room was well arranged.

Inside, the table was filled with books and a gaming console, the floor was clean, and the windowsill was adorned with thriving green plants. It was deep autumn, and the leaves outside had a golden-red hue, complemented by the clear blue sky, resembling a beautiful painting. The air in the room was fresh, carrying only the scent of plants, occasionally accompanied by the chirping of birds outside the window. In such an environment, the otherwise old room exuded a charming ambiance.

Lu Xiaohe stepped on the dancing rays of light on the floor and greeted with a smile, “Mom—”

In the next instant, she nearly dropped the tray.

There was no one on the bed.

Trembling, Lu Xiaohe set down the tray. The aroma of the stir-fried eggplants filled the air, but it only churned her insides. Her eyes quickly scanned the room, trying to find any trace of her mother.

There were indents on the bedsheets and pillow, showing where someone had lain. Her mother’s slippers were neatly placed by the bed. The window had only a palm-width gap, impossible for a person to pass through. Not to mention her mother was too weak to move independently, and there was no toilet in this room, only a chamber pot. There was no reason for her mother to suddenly leave.

The bedroom door was the only normal exit, leading directly to the living room… She and her father had been in the living room just now, and the bedroom door was slightly ajar, untouched.

Lu Xiaohe felt a chill run through her body. In that moment, her thoughts nearly froze.

How could this be?

She wanted to call out to her father, but her throat refused to produce a sound. Staggering, Lu Xiaohe rushed to the wardrobe, opened its doors, and frantically searched. The wardrobe, under the bed, behind the curtains.

She wished so much for her mother to suddenly appear from somewhere, smiling and saying, “Did I scare you?” Even if it was a cruel joke… Please, let it be a cruel joke.

But there was no one in the room.

Lu Xiaohe collapsed by the edge of the bed; the scent of her mother still lingering on the bedding and pillow. She fought back the panic-stricken tears, tremblingly took out her phone, and dialed Yin Ren’s number.

“Hello, Xiao Yin.”

She instinctively used the familiar nickname for help, even though she knew the person on the other end of the call stood at the pinnacle of the metaphysics.

“I can’t find my mom.” Her voice choked. “I can’t find my mom.”

The usually composed rear commander couldn’t hold back the tears this time.

……

Half an hour later, Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo were already standing in Lu Xiaohe’s home. The stir-fried eggplants in the tray had turned cold, while the police officers came and went, conducting routine investigations.

Since finding Zhong Chengshuo, Yin Ren’s expression had never been this grim.

He circled around the bright bedroom, his gaze incredibly focused. Zhong Chengshuo looked at Lu Xiaohe whose eyes were red from crying. After a few seconds of hesitation, he gathered his courage and expressed his opinion.

“We will find her,” he said. “I understand that you must be very worried.”

Just like when he was trapped in the underground morgue, the fear of “never knowing Yin Ren’s situation”. Whenever he recalled that feeling, Zhong Chengshuo felt his chest filled with sour, bitter soil.

Lu Xiaohe sniffed and forced a smile. “Just because you said that, I believe that you’re a real flesh puppet.”

Zhong Chengshuo: “……”

Zhong Chengshuo decided to change the subject. “Since it involves a Shian employee, Shian will directly intervene in this case without the need for police contact or scrutiny of liaison personnel. Yin Ren has already reported it to the higher-ups, and the investigation team will officially start the investigation today.”

The dazed look on Lu Xiaohe’s face instantly vanished, as if she had been abruptly awakened from a dream. “I want to be involved!”

After speaking, she seemed to remember something, and her expression dimmed slightly. “But only a B-level investigation team has the authority to investigate missing cases directly related to Shian personnel…”

“Our Unit 9 is at the B-level.”

Yin Ren finally finished investigating the entire room, his tone unusually serious.

“And this time, this case will have higher-level backup support from Shian… Xiaohe Jie, there are faint traces of Evil Force in this room, and the aura is still fresh.”

“Impossible!” Lu Xiaohe immediately refuted. “Things in my mom’s room haven’t been moved for a long time, and she hasn’t bought anything new recently. Absolutely—”

She stopped halfway, and a few traces of ferocity suddenly appeared on her face. Before Yin Ren could speak, Lu Xiaohe rushed out of the bedroom and pounced on her father.

She grabbed her father’s lapels tightly. “Dad, what did you say you sought from your friend?! Get the clothes or bag you used for it, quickly!”

The incident had just occurred, and Father Lu’s clothes were in the living room. In a matter of minutes, Yin Ren got the answer.

“It’s the ‘silk pouch charm’ you mentioned, no doubt about it.” He fumbled with Lu Xiaohe’s father’s coat pocket; his expression solemn. “There’s a very faint smell of Evil Force. It can corrupt people if in close contact, but it wouldn’t trigger Shian’s alarm.”

Father Lu clenched his hands in his hair, his expression half blank, half agonized. As an ordinary person who had no exposure to metaphysics, he didn’t have much understanding of these things, but he could vaguely sense his responsibility.

“It’s my fault,” he murmured, his lips dry and thin, tightly pursed. “My daughter is clearly involved in this, and I still brought things home without thinking. It’s my fault, all my fault. Daughter, blame me.”

Lu Xiaohe just looked at the cold food on the table silently, her face devoid of expression. She seemed to want to stop herself from crying, but she had to repeatedly wipe away the tears with the back of her hand.

“I… I should have told you earlier…” Her voice was hoarse, barely audible, and her body continued to tremble slightly.

“It’s like this, Mr. Lu.”

Yin Ren interrupted Lu Xiaohe’s murmurs and looked sincerely at Mr. Lu.

“I am Xiaohe Jie’s colleague at Shian. She helped me a lot before, and we made an agreement that I would help her with her mother’s illness. I have some ancestral remedies that are very effective.”

Yin Ren’s tone was serious and calm, carrying a convincing power. At this moment, he didn’t have his usual ease on his face; instead, he had a bit of an aura of the rumored Great Celestial Master.

“Later, due to personal matters, I kept delaying it. If I had fulfilled my promise earlier, Mrs. Lu wouldn’t have encountered such a situation. I will take responsibility and absolutely find her.”

Yin Ren emphasized the word “absolutely,” and Lu Xiaohe looked at him with a complex gaze.

“You…”

“I should be responsible for this matter, and I will take responsibility for it,” Yin Ren declared firmly.

The pain on Mr. Lu’s face eased a bit, and he tightly held his knee, nodding vigorously.

……

In the afternoon, at the Special Investigation Unit 9’s office in Shian Campus.

The news of the “Competition Victory Award” arrived slower than the equipment. However, Lu Xiaohe was distracted this time, and even the shiny new equipment couldn’t make her smile.

On the large screen wall, densely packed information was displayed, covering the entire space. It was even more overwhelming than when they were investigating the case of Zhong Chengfeng.

Despite it being a day off, there was no sign of fatigue from overtime in the room. Ge Tingting sat solemnly at her desk, and even Huang Jin’s expression was serious as he crossed his arms, looking rather unpleasant.

“…This is our first task after being promoted to B-level, a case involving multiple missing people. It’s something we’ve always been good at, right?”

Lu Xiaohe attempted to liven up the atmosphere like before, but her voice was hoarse, making it uncomfortable to listen to.

“These cases have a very obvious commonality: the missing individuals are all females and have come into contact with a certain amount of Evil Force corruption before disappearing. The data characteristics of the Evil Force at the disappearance scenes are highly similar. Other than that, they don’t have many other common points.”

She tapped the keyboard heavily, and three brief summaries appeared on the screen:

[Meng Huai, female, 21 years old at the time of disappearance, former head of the Emergency Management Department at Shian, a promising Ghost General. An excellent cultivator.]

[Zhong Chengfeng, female, 26 years old at the time of disappearance, criminal investigator in the Criminal Investigation Support Division of the Haigu Public Security Bureau. Inclined towards the science post.]

[He Huan, female, 54 years old at the time of disappearance, unemployed. Mother of Lu Xiaohe, who’s an employee at Shian. No apparent inclination.]

“These are the three cases we will be investigating together. Our mission is to uncover the fundamental causes of these cases…”

Lu Xiaohe paused in her tone.

“…and find the whereabouts of the missing individuals.”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 182: Multiple Disappearances

Sunken Society Haigu Branch.

Wei Huaqian looked at the room full of “products” in front of him, revealing a rare expression of difficulty.

Those products were discreetly colored talismans, ranging from heavily ethnic wooden carvings to common national-style ornaments, and even foreign-style “amulets”. There were almost no repeated styles. These trinkets didn’t look expensive, and their audience covered people of all ages and genders.

This was the scene he had long anticipated, but now that the first step of the plan was about to begin, Wei Huaqian found himself uncertain.

One careless move could result in a complete loss. Considering his age, if this ritual didn’t succeed, he wouldn’t have a second chance. Perhaps the group of “suppliers” with unclear ties to the Other Side would continue to cooperate with Sunken Society, but that would no longer concern Wei Huaqian.

He knew that now was not the time.

The research in Gengsheng Town hadn’t reached a proper conclusion, and there was the issue of Zhong Chengshuo’s missing body. The situation in Shian was still not entirely clear, and Xiang Jiang had yet to fully replace Fu Xingchuan’s position. This was simply not a good time to initiate the plan.

“If you continue to hesitate, you’ll never have a chance like this in your lifetime.”

Shen Mo casually picked up an exquisitely embroidered silk pouch amulet and waved it in front of Wei Huaqian.

“When Shian catches up with the progress of Sunken Society’s research on the ‘Other Side,’ this set of cards in your hands is useless. Instead of hesitating, it’s better to make a bold move. Once you succeed, you’ll purely profit—becoming a true Charon, which has always been your goal, right?”

“You’re comfortably giving advice while standing there, ‘old senior’.”

Wei Huaqian’s expression turned unpleasant.

Shen Mo was in his sixties but still maintained the appearance of someone in their thirties. Most of the time, he immersed himself in the Other Side, experiencing minimal physical deterioration. Wei Huaqian, on the other hand, was different. In recent detailed physical examinations, his body had shown various unfavorable signs.

The success of the ritual would be nothing but icing on the cake for Shen Mo. If this attempt failed, he could wait another thirty years and still have an easy time.

Wei Huaqian took the silk pouch from Shen Mo’s hand and said in a cold tone, “Although the corruption source in these items have been carefully balanced and their effects are not significant, it’s better if you don’t touch them randomly… You have been urging me to act earlier all this time. Besides speculation, do you have any concrete evidence?”

Shen Mo retracted his hand and shrugged. “No, I don’t. It’s just I came from Shian, so I have some knowledge about how they work.”

Wei Huaqian stared at Shen Mo for a while.

“…I won’t report the initiation of the ritual to headquarters. Let’s make a compromise. I’ll start with Haigu as a pilot.”

“Haa, you’re indecisive.” Shen Mo shook his head and left the room.

Wei Huaqian’s gaze remained fixed on Shen Mo’s figure until he disappeared at the doorway. Finally, he took out his phone and made two calls.

The first call was to the contact group of Sunken Society on the Nightwalkers’ side.

“The items are ready. Disperse them according to the old method but make it cleaner this time. The deadline is one week. Within that week, all these trinkets must find their owners.”

After speaking, he had no intention of listening to the reaction on the other end of the call. He immediately dialed the second number.

“Hello, it’s me. Mr. Qiu isn’t available? …Well, Mr. Le will do too. I’m just here to inform everyone as agreed.”

Wei Huaqian caressed a wooden talisman carved into a cartoon rabbit in his hand as he spoke in an icy tone.

“The ritual will begin in Haigu. I hope everyone will cooperate. If all goes well, the ‘Divine Descent’ you expect will be fully realized.”

……

Inside a private room of a hot pot restaurant, four people looked at each other.

The red broth in the pot was boiling, filling the air with the fragrance of chili and beef fat, but unfortunately, no one at the table touched their chopsticks.

Sitting at opposite ends of the square table were Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo, while on the other side were Li Nian and Fu Xingchuan in disguise. Today, Fu Xingchuan wasn’t wearing his usual long robe and earring. Instead, he dressed extremely plainly and low-key. He even tucked his long hair under a hat, and with his scruffy, pale face, Comrade Fu Xingchuan resembled a fugitive on the run.

“…That’s how things are.”

Yin Ren kept glancing at the limp beef and lamb rolls on the plate, his heart bleeding.

“Now that we have the results of your experiment, many things make sense. The only thing we need to supplement here is the one thing I remember—the chaotic rabbit and the black sea it was connected to is the person beside me.”

Zhong Chengshuo earnestly nodded in agreement.

“Information sharing is crucial,” the former “Black Sea Rabbit” added politely. “After all, my research time is limited afterward, and I still need research support from Shian’s side.”

Li Nian nodded expressionlessly, while Fu Xingchuan stared deeply at the boiling hotpot, fiddling with the menu for a while. “This restaurant doesn’t have rabbit heads? What a pity.”

“The main reason for this open and frank discussion between the two of you is that I have an extremely urgent matter on my hands. Once I resolve this issue, I am more than willing to cooperate with Shian in the research on the Other Side.”

Upon hearing Zhong Chengshuo’s serious tone, Fu Xingchuan finally tore his gaze away from the menu, his eyebrows twitching. “An extremely urgent matter?”

With two ancient Elementals sitting in front of him, fiercer than fierce, he couldn’t quite imagine what could be considered an extremely urgent matter for these two individuals—especially for one of the Elementals who had already solved housing and even had enough remaining life force to outlast a hundred of himself.

The term “extremely urgent” seemed a bit far-fetched for these two troublemakers.

“I must quickly unravel the case of Zhong Chengfeng’s disappearance twenty-eight years ago. My parents made a wish to me, and I promised them. However, they are already advanced in age, and I don’t know how much longer they can wait.”

At this point, Zhong Chengshuo lowered his gaze.

“They are relatively steadfast in their scientific pursuits, and Yin Ren’s healing abilities are limited. If they were to pass away one day, that wish would never be fulfilled. Primordial Elemental research requires a considerable amount of time, so I have to postpone the related studies for now.”

Fu Xingchuan said, “…Having lived for so long, I never thought I would be involved in discussions of this level. You both really give face.”

The anxiety of the “gods” receiving wishes they couldn’t immediately fulfill was something he didn’t understand, nor did he want to understand. Even within Sunken Society, there was no such thing as wish fulfillment as key performance indicators. Fu Xingchuan didn’t know what to make of it for a moment.

It was like the world’s richest person worrying about asset allocation in front of him. Fu Xingchuan’s palm itched, and his hand gradually clenched into a fist.

“But, as it happens, the results of the joint training competition from last time have also been released.”

However, as a composed adult, Fu Xingchuan maintained a calm expression.

“With the incident of the abandoned hospital building, Professor Li fought for it and secured a winning reward for the Haigu branch—two million each, plus eligibility to be promoted to a second-tier investigation team. Since the competition didn’t end normally, the remaining two teams will also receive one million each as a consolation prize.”

Yin Ren suddenly felt that the hot pot became even more fragrant. The Shian duo really knew the current situation. Could it be that this was a special favor for the old ancestors?

However, before his smile could fully bloom, Li Nian’s continuation of the conversation froze him in place.

“It would be too conspicuous to focus solely on Zhong Chengfeng. Instead, we should investigate the disappearance cases from the Divine Descent 28 years ago. There’s more than just Zhong Chengfeng,” Li Nian calmly added.

So it’s more convenient to manipulate, huh? Modern people really don’t cherish the past. Yin Ren’s sense of relief gradually turned into resignation.

However, this was eating with short-hand and a soft-mouth*, so they had to accept their conditions. With a short hand and a soft mouth, the Great Celestial Master had no choice but to spread his palms.

*Idiom referring to manipulating or exploiting someone’s weakness or relying on their inability to resist in order to benefit oneself.

Once they obtained the information, Zhong Chengshuo and Yin Ren’s heads were immediately close together.

There was a picture of a fierce-looking woman with heavy makeup and a wide smile. She looked more like a member of Sunken Society, but the information clearly indicated Shian.

Meng Huai, a former “Black Seal” Minister of the previous generation’s Emergency Management Department, was considered Fu Xingchuan’s senior in terms of qualifications.

She looked quite young.

“Meng Huai also disappeared during the Divine Descent 28 years ago. At that time, she was only twenty-one years old and had just been promoted to the Minister of the Emergency Management Department,” Li Nian calmly introduced. “Unit 9 can use this as a cover to investigate Zhong Chengfeng’s disappearance—based on what I know, they both went missing near the same nursing home.”

After glancing at the smiling Minister Meng, Zhong Chengshuo let out a long sigh. “I understand.”

Fu Xingchuan discreetly glanced at Li Nian several times before finally continuing the conversation. “You have a visible case to investigate, and Lao Li can use Shian’s resources openly. However, you both… ahem, should keep a low profile. Don’t reveal everything to Unit 9 about Zhong Chengshuo.”

Facing two humanoid bombs, he felt a bit uncertain about his words.

Even if he had his own spirit contract to restrain him, with Yin Ren’s strength, even if he were to break the contract, it wouldn’t cause too much damage. If either of the two ancestors became unhappy, it wouldn’t be impossible for them to turn Haigu back into its state from a thousand years ago.

“I understand. We need to be cautious with both Shian and Sunken Society, right?” Yin Ren said seriously, picking up a piece of meat with his chopsticks. “Now that the bonus is in place, everything will work out.”

Fu Xingchuan and Li Nian: “……”

Li Nian: “I will discuss it with the personnel department.”

“Thank you for your understanding.” Zhong Chengshuo lowered his head with a serious expression. “We will also thoroughly investigate Ms. Meng Huai’s case.”

Li Nian nodded lightly, and his hand on his knee twitched slightly.

“Alright, let’s eat quickly.” Fu Xingchuan scanned his old partner with a glance and loudly changed the topic. “If we don’t eat soon, the broth will dry out.”

What so-called genius of the Fu family! Truly a monster. Today, Fu Xingchuan’s mentality is quite calm.

…Perhaps Li Nian was right. Having these two old fellows tied to Shian might not be a bad thing.

In a certain place in Haigu, Lu Xiaohe was humming a song while stir-frying eggplants at home.

She used all the money she earned to treat her mother and hire caregivers, making their home still cramped and poor. However, compared to before, Lu Xiaohe’s face was no longer clouded.

The Great Celestial Master had promised that when the time was right, he would help her treat her mother. Her mother was an ordinary person who believed in ghosts and gods, so there shouldn’t be any issues. Her mother would soon be able to overcome her illness.

Just then, there was a creaking sound, and Lu Xiaohe’s father entered the house carrying two bags of vegetables and fruits. He smiled at Lu Xiaohe in front of the stove and went straight to his wife’s room.

“Wife, take a look.”

He took out an exquisite silk pouch amulet from the inner pocket of his chest.

“I asked a friend to get this from a master. They said it’s very effective!”

---

The author has something to say:

At this point, I can finally reveal that this is a story about a foolish couple (?

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 181: The Same Species

Haigu Municipal Hospital.

Sun Qi’an woke up in the duty room, and her head was a bit sore, possibly due to being too tense these past few days. She sighed as she looked out the window at the rising sun and swallowed a tablet of ibuprofen.

Her phone screen lit up, filled with WeChat messages. Sun Qi’an casually tapped on them, and without exception, they were all from her family.

[Father: An’an, you didn’t come home yesterday. Isn’t it too early for the night shift?]

[Father: Did you switch shifts with someone again?]

Several voice messages followed from her father.

Sun Qi’an opened them and absentmindedly made herself a cup of coffee with hot water. Her father’s voice in the messages rambled on for a long time, mostly about how “staying up late is harmful to your health”. Towards the end, her mother chimed in, her style much more straightforward than Police Officer Sun—

“Daughter, you’re a doctor, so you know better. It’s okay to be busy, but remember to get that tumor in your head checked out in time, even if it’s benign. Be careful not to exhaust yourself to death for nothing.”

“It’s alright, Mom. I just had it checked recently. Once I find a top-notch specialist, I’ll schedule the surgery.”

Sun Qi’an responded with a smile and casually placed her phone by the sink.

After a simple wash-up, Dr. Sun looked into the mirror. The person in the mirror had bloodshot eyes and a slightly pale complexion, with a strand of hair falling down by her ear. Sun Qi’an reached out to adjust it when suddenly her head spun. She held onto the sink with both hands, taking several deep breaths to calm herself.

She knew that something small was quietly nestled in her brain.

In theory, the sooner one dealt with a brain tumor, the better. However, the location of the tumor was tricky, and being benign, the risk of surgery was too great. Aside from occasional absent-mindedness and fatigue, it hadn’t brought any life-threatening consequences. Sun Qi’an had no intention of tiptoeing through life while carrying it.

With cookies placed on the table and coffee set aside, breakfast was considered done. Dr. Sun tied her slightly greasy hair into a ponytail and rubbed her face vigorously. By noon, her night shift would be completely over.

Oh, she needed to confirm with Qianqian’s side. The child’s condition had been improving, and she would be discharged soon.

Perhaps she could also buy a storybook for the little girl while she’s at it. Qianqian loved listening to stories and had asked her to tell one a few days ago. Thinking about the girl gradually regaining her vitality in the hospital bed, Sun Qi’an let out a slightly helpless smile.

A few nights ago…

Wait, that night, what story did she read to that child?

Sun Qi’an stopped in the hallway, her mind blank.

She remembered opening the storybook, but beyond that, she had no recollection. It was as if she had gotten drunk, leaving her mind filled with untraceable blanks.

Perhaps it was because it was late at the time, or maybe she was too tired. Sun Qi’an instinctively rubbed her temples. When you reach your thirties, you tend to forget things subconsciously—like yesterday’s lunch, whether you locked the door before leaving, or even thoughts that were crystal clear just a few minutes ago.

…Well, her mother was right. She should find an opportunity to thoroughly check that small tumor.

Sun Qi’an sighed again and hurriedly walked towards the end of the corridor, just passing by a nurse with a black ID card.

The nurse was carrying a small and delicate biosafety transport box, heading towards the elevator to go downstairs.

Inside that small transport box were only two blood samples—

One belonged to Yin Ren a few months ago, and the other belonged to Zhong Chengshuo a few months ago.

……

The red liquid in the pot kept bubbling, and Zhong Chengshuo held the cooking utensils, carefully timing by the side of the pot.

“Tomato oxtail soup—he insisted on making it himself.” Zhong Youde wiped his sweat off on the sofa, looking at Yin Ren with a complicated expression. “My son rarely insists on doing anything like this over trivial matters. It seems that you two have a good relationship—speaking of this dish alone, he firmly believes that he understands your taste better.”

“It’s great to have a good relationship.” Cheng Xuehua smiled and joined the conversation. “Xiao Yin is handsome and knows how to handle things. Having more sons like him is a blessing for us.”

After saying that, she deliberately stuffed a round and cute persimmon into Yin Ren’s hands.

Yin Ren smiled and set up the fruit platter. Next to the fruit platter, there was already a small and delicate eight-inch cake prepared. The cake was chocolate-flavored and shaped like a log. It was adorned with many fresh fruits that Zhong Chengshuo liked, sprinkled with sugar powder resembling falling snow. The candles with the number “29” were already inserted, waiting to be lit.

Yin Ran seriously doubted if there should be many “0s” after the “29”. At this point, he had given up on the chaotic family hierarchy in this house—the Zhong couple didn’t need to know that the person in the kitchen was older than the city itself.

Next to the birthday cake, several home-cooked dishes were already arranged. The beer from the refrigerator stood at the edge of the table, with a faint mist forming on the bottles. A glass of fresh apple juice for Zhong Chengshuo was placed, emanating a gentle sweetness.

Just before sunset, Zhong Chengshuo carefully carried the tomato oxtail soup, taking small steps to the table.

Considering that Comrade Xiao Zhong was no longer a child, nobody sang a birthday song. Zhong Youde turned on the TV, filling the living room with joyful advertising music and news broadcasts. Cheng Xuehua picked up a lighter and steadily lit the two number candles.

In the dimly lit living room, two small flames flickered gently.

“Make a wish, son,” Cheng Xuehua said with a smile.

Zhong Chengshuo stared at the log-shaped cake for a while, then picked up a plastic knife and skillfully cut it into four pieces—two slightly smaller ones for his elderly parents and two larger ones, each with a candle that swayed gently with his movements.

“I wish for the health and longevity of all our family members,” Zhong Chengshuo solemnly whispered, extinguishing the candle in front of him. The two Zhong elders smiled at each other, their wrinkles easing slightly.

Then, Zhong Chengshuo held the other cake with the candle in both hands and offered it to Yin Ren, with the “9” still burning on the cake.

This time, he hesitated.

Amidst the noisy TV music and the ordinary light of the hanging lamp, Yin Ren looked at Zhong Chengshuo, who was holding the cake—this was the first time he saw a hesitant expression on the man’s face.

He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but swallowed it back.

After struggling for about half a minute, Zhong Chengshuo still handed over the cake. He leaned slightly forward, lowering his voice to a level only audible to each other.

“I wish that no matter what happens in the future, we will always be the best accomplices.”

With that, Zhong Chengshuo quickly blew out the candle, as if afraid that Yin Ren would change his mind. The cake plate was placed into Yin Ren’s hands, and he blinked, looking at the unexpectedly nervous Zhong Chengshuo.

“I really like you, and I want to make a wish for us to always be in love,” Zhong Chengshuo said somewhat uneasily, turning his head. “But if I make such a wish to you, I won’t know if you like me or if you just want to fulfill my wish.”

However, regardless of anything, they would always be eternal accomplices, Zhong Chengshuo thought seriously. As long as this relationship existed, they would still be able to see each other.

“Ohhh—” Yin Ren elongated his voice softly. “Just that?”

“…”

Zhong Chengshuo’s ears turned slightly red.

“Finding my sister’s whereabouts is my parents’ wish; protecting the safety of those children and their descendants is now our shared responsibility… Your wish, ‘to understand why I fell into the Valley of Remains’, is the only wish that belongs to you.”

“Now I have made a wish to you, and we have exchanged wishes. I like this feeling—Yin Ren, you are the most special one.”

His voice was soft, but the level of seriousness surpassed any previous occasion.

Yin Ren took a sharp breath, his old face slightly flushed. He quickly took the cake plate and took a bite. The cake was made with excellent cream, combining the delicate fragrance of milk with a hint of cocoa’s bitterness. It melted in his mouth, without any hint of greasiness.

“I’ve accepted your offering.”

Yin Ren licked the cream off the corner of his mouth and casually picked up a cherry soaked in alcohol from the cake, stuffing it into Zhong Chengshuo’s mouth. Zhong Chengshuo turned his face, obediently preparing to open his mouth to receive it, but Yin Ren quickly withdrew the cherry and replaced it with a gentle kiss infused with the taste of cream.

Zhong Chengshuo remained motionless, not even subconsciously retreating.

After the gentle kiss, he still received that sweet and vibrant red cherry.

“Tsk tsk.” Cheng Xuehua watched the two of them and shook her head, her tone filled with emotion. “I used to see my son worrying every day, but I didn’t expect him to catch on so quickly.”

“He’s almost there.” Zhong Youde coughed awkwardly. “Hurry up and eat, and after we finish, we’ll take a photo—I specifically got a self-timer camera for this special occasion. We should take a family portrait.”

After dinner, the four of them made space in the living room. The two elders sat on chairs, holding hands tightly. Zhong Chengshuo and Yin Ren stood behind the chairs, with a strand of Yin Ren’s black hair habitually entwined around Zhong Chengshuo’s wrist, tightly bound.

On the side of the camera, only Yin Ren could see Hu Tao. Miss Fierce Ghost smiled with deep meaning, quietly signaling the moment to take the photo.

“One, two, three—cheese*!”

*Eggplant [qiezi] (茄子). In China, it’s a popular way of saying cheese because, pronunciation-wise, it’s similar to saying cheese in English.

At nightfall, Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo spent the night at the home of the elders. In the darkness, the two of them lay quietly. Despite the lingering sense of repulsion, they still pressed their foreheads together, stubbornly clinging to each other.

“Now that we’ve done what we needed to do, I want to be honest with Fu Xingchuan,” Zhong Chengshuo muttered.

“A thousand years ago, between you and me, it’s necessary for Fu Xingchuan and Li Nian to know. To have a more comprehensive investigation and support, the resources of Shian and its technology and channels are necessary. When I wanted to join Shian, I was counting on those resources.”

Yin Ren glanced at Zhong Chengshuo and narrowed eyes for a while, then raised himself slightly and kissed Zhong Chengshuo’s forehead.

“I understand,” he said. “Don’t worry. As long as we stand together, you will be safe.”

“Mm.” Zhong Chengshuo closed his eyes. “And I also want to get back my phone…”

As he continued speaking, his pronunciation became increasingly unclear, and he fell asleep like that.

With the warmth of their bodies and the gentle warmth of their breaths, Zhong Chengshuo surprisingly slept peacefully. Yin Ren felt it for a while, then withdrew back into the covers, returning to the position with their foreheads pressed together, and closed his eyes as well.

“Good night,” Yin Ren whispered softly.

“Good night,” Zhong Chengshuo, not knowing which nerve was still awake, responded firmly with slurred speech.

The sleeping cap’s pom-pom slipped down the pillow and landed on the edge of Yin Ren’s phone, nestled next to the slumbering Yellow Millet. At some point, in the tranquil darkness, the phone suddenly emitted a dim light.

Yellow Millet emitted a weak snort, glanced towards the screen, and seeing that the thing wasn’t sounding an alarm, quickly collapsed back into sleep.

The dim light remained, and beneath the newly changed lock screen displaying the family portrait, Yin Ren’s phone received a string of message notifications from Fu Xingchuan.

……

Time rewound a bit.

Deep within the basement of Shian Campus, near the facilities controlling the Evil Spirit, lay Shian’s most advanced research lab.

In a corner of the lab, a certain researcher was working overnight. Five blood samples were placed beside her.

To be honest, Miss Researcher had some doubts in her mind—this time, the testing was personally assigned by Minister Li of the Emergency Management Department. The confidentiality level was at its maximum, to the point that she had to take on the testing alone.

She had expected it to be a tough battle, but after all the fuss, they only sent her five samples that appeared to be human blood. However, these two groups of samples, Y-1, 2, 3 and Z-1, 2, originated from two different individuals with a significant time difference—

Y-1 and Z-1 appeared to be internal medical examination samples from Shian, collected nearly a year ago.

Y-2 and Z-2—these two tubes of blood were most likely collected from Haigu Municipal Hospital, a few months ago. Only registered Shian employees would have their samples specifically preserved at the Municipal Hospital.

The most recent one was Y-3, taken just a few days ago, extremely fresh.

Looking at this information, it was evident that these two sets of samples came from two Shian employees. The researcher shivered at the sight of those few tubes of blood. Conducting blood tests with such high levels of confidentiality made her unable to ponder too deeply.

The two sets of blood quietly lay on the shelf, emitting a dim red glow. Under the pale lights, countless machines hummed and diligently analyzed every aspect of the blood.

That night, Fu Xingchuan was lying in bed, sprawled out, when he was abruptly awakened by a phone call from Li Nian. Minister Fu groggily got up and, in a daze, answered his phone—

“Are you available to talk now?” Li Nian’s voice sounded hoarse on the other end.

Fu Xingchuan glanced at the ceiling of his room and replied, “Is it convenient for you to check the time now? Regardless of the results, matters have reached this point… yawn… It’s only test results. We can discuss it tomorrow. The world won’t be destroyed. Now it’s your turn, be careful not to die suddenly, Professor Li.”

“…” Li Nian fell silent for a moment, then his tone turned icy. “The comprehensive analysis results of the blood samples are out.”

“I see.”

Fu Xingchuan wasn’t actually nervous.

The recent incident at the abandoned building prompted Shian Research Institute to work overtime to reconstruct the situation. The existence of the Evil Force coming from a “Primordial Elemental” was now almost certain.

Combining the information provided by Yin Ren and the situation in the memory world, Fu Xingchuan had already deduced that the Evil Force and Evil Spirits were inseparable from the Primordial Elemental. The Evil Black Dog Spirit had absorbed an excessive amount of Evil Force, causing a phenomenon similar to the gestation of a fierce ghost.

However, whether the Evil Force was a “powerful evil creature born from a Primordial Elemental’s corpse” or a “failed birth of a Primordial Element that became stillborn” was still unknown. After all, there was too little information about the Primordial Elemental, and further research was needed.

Comrade Fu Xingchuan remained emotionally stable.

Even if the results were exaggerated, at most it would be “the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi is an Evil Spirit with reason”. Taking it a step further, “the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi is an existence above the Evil Spirits”. Over these past few days, Fu Xingchuan had mentally prepared himself for such possibilities.

On the other hand, Li Nian, who was usually calm, was surprised this time, showing that his previous behavior wasn’t due to his personality, but rather his position.

Thinking of this, Fu Xingchuan felt more at ease. “I’m awake now, so go ahead. I’m listening.”

Upon hearing his attitude, Li Nian fell silent instead. Whether it was Fu Xingchuan’s misconception or not, he felt a subtle sense of pity in his old partner’s silence.

“The comprehensive analysis results of the blood samples are out, and it’s not just Yin Ren’s.”

After about ten seconds of silence, Li Nian spoke up.

“Yin Ren asked us to investigate himself and Zhong Chengshuo, so both their blood samples were taken during his examinations at Shian and the hospital. I thought we could investigate them together. After all, you mentioned before that the flesh puppet also entered the memory world.”

“Ah? Oh, I suspect Yin Ren used some method to create an evil creature using Zhong Chengshuo’s remnants, which is a forbidden technique from ancient times and raises significant ethical concerns.”

Fu Xingchuan scratched his head.

“But considering his identity and the issue of the Zhong elders’ retirement, the situation isn’t that serious…”

So, it wouldn’t make much sense to investigate Zhong Chengshuo’s blood samples while he was still alive. Fu Xingchuan just wanted to mention it to this Great Celestial Master after Yin Ren’s results were out.

Li Nian let out two cold snorts.

“To address your concerns, yes, Yin Ren is something above an Evil Spirit. His flesh can deceive regular examinations, but it can’t deceive the specialized experimental equipment for Evil Spirits.”

Fu Xingchuan’s emotions remained stable. “Hmm.”

Whether it was Evil Spirits or something above them, it didn’t really matter since they couldn’t defeat them anyway. Shian had 100 HP, and whether the opponent’s attack was 999 or 999,999, the difference wasn’t significant.

“Zhong Chengshuo is the same thing,” Li Nian added coldly.

“Hmm… Huh?!” Fu Xingchuan instantly sobered up.

He slowly lay back in bed, burying the back of his head into the soft pillow. Fu Xingchuan stared blankly at his own ceiling, unsure if he was dreaming at this moment.

“According to the report, both Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo’s blood samples exhibit excessively stable ‘Evil Force’ characteristics at the cellular level, with significantly higher cellular activity compared to existing Evil Spirits.”

“The nature of the Evil Force in both sets of cells is extremely similar, but their manifestations differ greatly. If we had to say, it’s like two distinct individuals of the same race.”

“The Evil Force of Zhong Chengshuo is fused with the cells on a physical level, and the internal power cannot dissipate or be separated. The cells also have difficulty regenerating under various stimuli. Apart from the deeply hidden Evil Force system, his physiological characteristics are no different from those of ordinary organisms… According to these results, he shouldn’t be able to actively use any spells and can only retain some special instincts.”

“Yin Ren’s Evil Force is quite interesting. His body seems to be constructed with the support of arcane arts. His flesh exhibits strong arcane characteristics and is similar to the flesh of an Evil Spirit. It can function as an independent source of metaphysical-related power.”

Fu Xingchuan remained silent.

After waiting for a while without getting a response, Li Nian continued on his own, “What’s interesting is that Yin Ren’s blood sample has undergone obvious changes. From the time he joined until a few months ago, the Evil Force characteristics in his cells rapidly matured. On the other hand, Zhong Chengshuo’s blood sample shows no changes, and the Evil Force characteristics have always been mature.”

At this point, Li Nian emphasized the pronunciation of “always”.

Fu Xingchuan still didn’t make a sound.

Li Nian said, “I’m calling 120.”

Fu Xingchuan said, “… Wait a moment.”

His voice was almost fearful.

“If I didn’t misunderstand.” Fu Xingchuan swallowed nervously. “Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo are from the same race, and both are dangerous species above Evil Spirits.”

“Yes.”

“Yin Ren possesses formidable arcane abilities, I know… The problem is Zhong Chengshuo. Does the ‘special instincts’ you mentioned include growing a head?”

“If there is sufficient external nourishment and stimulation, his cells can regenerate completely.” Li Nian’s tone remained calm. “But, as I mentioned before, he indeed cannot use magic…”

Fu Xingchuan closed his eyes in despair.

There was no need to guess. That so-called flesh puppet was most likely Zhong Chengshuo himself. In the abandoned hospital incident, there were enough Primordial Elemental corpse to play driftwood. With ample external nourishment and stimulation, Zhong Chengshuo’s head could be replaced daily.

No wonder Yin Ren stuck to that flesh puppet every day. Fu Xingchuan felt a mix of joy and sorrow.

He was glad that the Great Celestial Master’s sanity was still intact and he hadn’t turned into a pervert as Fu Xingchuan had feared, manipulating his lover’s remains and creating an evil spirit out of them. But he was saddened by the fact that the Great Celestial Master’s lover was indeed an anomaly, and one who disguised it perfectly.

Those so-called talented young individuals were nothing but two troublemakers. Thinking back to the time when he sacrificed his holidays to guide these two in battle, Fu Xingchuan once again pitied his lost vacation.

“Anyway, that’s the situation. Those two…” On the other end of the phone, Professor Li continued speaking in a hoarse voice.

“Li Nian, have you not been sleeping enough?” Fu Xingchuan interrupted desolately. “They’re still partners. Can’t you see the problem there?”

“Go on,” Li Nian’s calm tone contained a hint of weariness.

“The only weakness of the science posts is physical strength, and it seems that Zhong Chengshuo is not lacking in that department. So now we have combined the strongest shield with the strongest spear—they’ve become intertwined.”

An immortal science post immune to magic and an Evil Spirit warhead proficient in various forms of magic—it was difficult to say which one was more dangerous. When Fu Xingchuan joined the ranks of Shian, the level of natural disasters he dealt with was equivalent to hurricanes and floods, but this pair of partners was akin to an asteroid colliding with Earth, surpassing the scope of normal human handling.

As Fu Xingchuan immersed himself in the grief of being deceived by these two powerful individuals, Li Nian suddenly burst into laughter.

Goosebumps ran down Fu Xingchuan’s body as he instantly stood up. Could it be that his former partner had gone mad due to excessive stress?

“The strongest spear and the strongest shield—isn’t that a good thing?” Li Nian said, enunciating each word.

“Fu Xingchuan, have you been asleep for too long? You handled things perfectly fine in Gengsheng Town before.”

“What?”

“If we can’t control them no matter what, then there is only one thing we can do…”

On the other end of the radio waves, Professor Li absentmindedly toyed with his ring, gazing at the moon outside.

“…Trust them, support them, and continue being their ‘allies’.”

Next, there happened to be a perfect opportunity.

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The author has something to say:

Xiao Zhong is 29 years old! Even though it’s a fake 29 years old (laughs).

Xiao Yin: Clearly older than me, pointing and lecturing.gif.

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Kinky Thoughts:

This cake tastes like dog food.

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